Leafs eager to play role of spoiler as KIJHL begins post season
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs remember all too well how last season the Beaver Valley Nitehawks came within a whisker of knocking off the heavily favoured Murdoch Division champs.
The Leafs had owned the Hawks through the 2009-10 KIJHL season. But when the playoffs arrived it was surprising Beaver Valley the better team before Nelson rallied to win in seven games.
Beginning Tuesday in Fruitvale, the teams renew their rivalry in the Murdoch Division semi final.
Nelson is looking to surprise the Hawks much like Beaver Valley surprised the Leafs one year ago.
Only this time the Leafs hope the underdog gets that last laugh.
“Last year we took it to them the whole year but playoffs they were a different team,” said Leaf sniper Gavin Currie, back after spending six weeks on the injury list. “We have to do the same thing to them this year. To do that we need everyone going . . . all four lines.”
Beaver Valley owned the Leafs this season. In eight games the Hawks lost only once — at 6-2 setback in the NDCC Arena — and out scored Nelson 33-22.
However, it was the final three games of the series Nelson wants to focus on — three games that could have gone either way as Beaver Valley prevailed by scores of 2-1 in overtime, 3-2 and 6-5.
“It’s always a good battle with BV,” said Leafs captain Taylor O’Neil. “They were able to get the better of us a few more times but like I said before this is a new season.”
BV coach Terry Jones realizes how dangerous the Leafs will be when the series begins Tuesday. Nelson is a totally different team from the squad the Hawks owned early in the season — winning four of the five games by a 20-8 scoring margin.
The last three games, Beaver Valley won, but each contest was decided by a goal.
“I don’t know if there’s any secret, I think we’ve been fortunate in some games,” said Jones. “We’ve had great goaltending in some games . . . some games our power play has been good and their goaltending hasn’t been that good.“
“I think (Nelson) is a good team that has added some good players so I feel it’s going to be a close series when the playoffs start,” Jones adds.
It will be interesting to see if the return of Currie can spark the Leafs. The Fraser Valley native has been slotted on a line with the speedy Dustin Johnson, formerly a sniper in the BCHL.
Johnson started the stint with Nelson on fire, scoring 10 points five games.
However, Johnson, still finishing with 21 points in 15 games, tailed off down the stretch.
“It was a treat our first game together,” Currie, combined with Johnson for five points Saturday against Creston, confessed. “Hopefully during the playoffs we can keep doing more of that.”
On the other side of the ice, Nelson Minor Hockey grad Ryon Sookro and Chris Derochie provide the lion’s share of the offence for the Hawks.
In goal Marcus Beesley is the main man for Nelson now that Darren Hogg has been officially listed as out for the season.
For Beaver Valley, Mike Vlanich, a Leaf killer all season, gives the Hawks the edge with his 21 wins this season.
But as Taylor O’Neil sees the upcoming series, it’s the Leafs that control their own destiny.
“I wouldn’t point fingers are any one player (on the Hawks) we need to stop, we just need to play as a team and play them as a team.”
OVERTIME: Game two is Wednesday in Fruitvale. Both games in Fruitvale start at 7 p.m. The series shifts to Nelson for games three and four Friday and Saturday at the NDCC Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. If necessary, game five is Monday, Feb. 21 in Fruitvale. Game six is Tuesday, Feb. 22 in Nelson with a seventh and deciding game set for Fruitvale, Wednesday, Feb. 23.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
