Rockies roll past Leafs as Nelson drops third straight
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Six different players score goals to power the visiting Columbia Valley Rockies to a convincing 6-1 victory over the Nelson Leafs in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Saturday night at the NDCC Arena.
The loss was the third straight for the Green and White which returned home following a six-game stretch away from the NDCC Arena.
Friday, on Teddy Bear Toss Night, Nelson lost 5-3 to defending KIJHL Champion Revelstoke Grizzlies.
Saturday, Palmer Sinclair and Erik Lloyd, with a goal in the final minutes of the opening frame, scored to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Columbia Valley put the game away scoring four unanswered goals in the second period, three coming during a three minute, 17 second span.
Hunter Rambow made it 3-0 before Greg Parker, Zachary Dovichak, shorthanded, and Jonathan Milligan gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after two periods.
Reid Wilson spoiled the shutout bid by Rockies goalie Bretton Park with a goal in the final minute of the game. Columbia Valley outshot the Leafs 33-23 in the game.
Leaf goalie Tenzin Mint, seeing his first action since November 23, was in goal for the home side.
Friday, Nelson gave the home crowd something to cheer when Ryan Janowski opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game sending a stream of stuffed animals onto the ice during the Teddy Bear Toss fundraiser.
After a stoppage to clear the ice of stuff animals, Shawn Grobowsky took advantage of an inadvertent bounce off the referee’s skate to deposit the puck past Revelstoke goalie Noah Desouza.
However, that 2-0 lead was short lived as Matt Cadden, on the power play, and Cody Flann scored to even the score at 2-2.
Bryden Pow restored the Nelson lead with a goal less than 12 seconds later that sent Desouza to the showers as Andrew Palm took over the duties in goal.
After a scoreless second period, Jake Petrie tied the game before Cadden, with his second of the game, scored the winner with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
Petrie added an empty net marker to secure the victory.
Revelstoke outshot the Leafs 32-24 with Anderson Violette taking the loss in goal for Nelson.
Nelson, 2-6 over the last eight games, falls into second spot in Murdoch Division standings one point behind Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
Nelson, 17-8-0-0-4, have played two more games than Beaver Valley.
Nelson hosts Spokane Friday at the NDCC Arena in the first game of a home-and-home weekend with the Braves. The return game is Saturday in Spokane.
ICE CHIPS: Nelson Minor Hockey grad and current Revelstoke Grizzlies defenceman Brenden Vulcano registered an assist during Friday’s game. Vulcano was playing against brother Reid on the Leafs squad. . . .Nelson’s leading scorer Reid Wilson registered two points during the weekend. Wilson spent last weekend on a three-game road trip with Trail Smokies of the BC Hockey League. . . . Prior the game Friday, June Spearman, chairperson of the Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation was presented with a cheque $7,000 by Shawn Robertson of Taghum Shell for bottle donations collected at the local gas and convenience store located west of Nelson on Highway 3A/6.
Shawn Robertson of Taghum Shell presents Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation Chairperson June Spearman with a cheque for bottle donations at the local gas and convenience store before the start of Friday's KIJHL game at the NDCC Arena between Nelson and Revelstoke. — The Nelson Daily photo
