Leafs outlast Dynamiters to advance to KIJHL Teck Cup Final
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs have advanced to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Championship.
Liam Noble scored at the 3:46 of the second overtime period to lift the Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the Kimberley Dynamiters in the Kootenay Conference Final Tuesday at the NDCC Arena.
Nelson, after falling behind 2-0 in the series, wins the best-of-seven Kootenay Final 4-2.
The win comes on the heels of a 4-3 double OT win in Game five Monday in Kimberley.
The Leafs advance to the KIJHL Teck Cup against the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Revelstoke swept the Osoyoos Coyotes in four games to win the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference.
Game one of the series goes Friday in Revelstoke at the Forum.
Game two is set for Saturday before the series shifts back to Nelson for Games three and four, Monday, March 28 and Tuesday, March 29 at the NDCC Arena.
Nelson took the lead in the tight-checking contest when KIJHL Murdoch Division Rookie of the year Bryce Sookro scored three minutes into the third period.
However, the home-town celebration was delayed after Tyler Russell scored to tie the game, forcing overtime.
Murdoch Division Champion Nelson controlled most of the game, out shooting the Dynamiters 41-16 through three periods.
Leafs goalie Dylan Marshall faced 22 shots to register his fourth straight win of the series.
Trystan Self took the loss in goal for Kimberley, winners of the Eddie Mountain Division.
Great week for Leafs rookie defenceman
Not only did Nelson defenceman Bryce Sookro help the Leafs to the Kootenay Conference title over Kimberley, but the Heritage City native also received individual accolades for his strong play in the playoffs and regular season.
The 6’1”, 200-pound D-man was selected Three Stars of the Week for March 20 for his four points — including three goals — in four games performance against the Dynamiters.
In 14 playoffs games, Sookro has scored five times and registered 10 assists for 15 points — good for second in Leafs scoring.
Earlier in the week Sookro was named Rookie of the Year in the Neil Murdoch Division, scoring seven times and registering 22 assists for 29 points in 41 games for Nelson.
Other division winners included Kayde Kinaschuk of the Columbia Valley Rockies in the Eddie Mountain Division, Zakery Anderson of the Kamloops Storm in the Doug Birks Division and Tristan Weill of the Summerland Steam in the Bill Ohlhausen Division.
Grizzlies defending KIJHL Champs
Following two seasons of COVID-19, where the coronavirus derailed the KIJHL from play, the Revelstoke Grizzlies return to the final as the defending champs.
The last time the Teck Cup was handed out, the Grizzlies defeated the Kimberley Dynamiters in 2019 to capture the KIJHL Championship.
The last time Nelson won the KIJHL title came in 2009.
KIJHL winner advances to Cyclone Taylor Cup
BC Hockey along with the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) will join host Delta Ice Hawks at the 2022 Cyclone Taylor Cup from April 7-10, 2022.
The four-team tournament is set to determine the BC Junior B Hockey Champion in April at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
