Leafs step up game against Murdoch Division champs, Edwards foils Green and White sweep with OT winner

Patrick Defoe had a bounce-back set of games against Beaver Valley to give the Leafs two able netminders for the post season. — Bruce Fuhr photo

By Bruce Fuhr, The Nelson Daily Sports

One week after dropping two straight games by a combined score of 12-5, and looking more like a first-round casualty instead of a contender, the Nelson Leafs sent a message to the rest of the Murdoch Division the Green and White won’t be a pushover when the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs open later this week.

The Leafs finished the regular season accumulating five out of a possible six points to enter the post season on a high.

The fifth point came in a 4-3 overtime loss to Murdoch regular season champion Beaver Valley Saturday at the Hawks’ Nest.

The Hawks gained a little revenge on the Green and White after being pummeled 7-2 Friday at the NDCC Arena.

Nelson opened the three-game swing Thursday by outlasting the Grand Forks Border Bruins 4-1.

“I think we sent (Beaver Valley) a message the Nelson Leafs are for real,” Leaf coach and GM Frank Maida said Sunday on the eve of the team award’s banquet.

“After last weekend we were able to have some meetings and regroup and came out and played playoff hockey.”

Nelson, finishing the season in third spot in the Murdoch Division, now meets second-place Castlegar in the first round of the division semi final.

Beaver Valley hosts Spokane Braves in the other series.

Ryan Edwards spoiled the Nelson comeback — the Leafs trailed 3-1 midway through the game but rallied on goals from Nick Newman and Brett Norman — scoring at 55 seconds of the second overtime period.

The goal by Edwards allowed the Hawks some sense of relief after the Murdoch Champs were routed at the NDCC Arena.

“Everybody came to play this weekend,” Maida said when asked about the difference from one week to the next.

“We didn’t have just 15 guys playing we had a full 22 ready to go including the players who didn’t get to dress.”

The line of Ryan Edwards, rookie Craig Martin and Chris Derochie padded their season stats against Nelson, each finishing with three points. Martin scored twice for the Hawks.

Tyler Parfeniuk on the power play had the other goal for Nelson.

Friday it looked like the Hawks mailed in the points as Nelson held period leads of 3-0 and 4-2.

Second star Matthew Naka had his best offensive game of the season, finishing with two goals and two assists.

Newman, Max Mois, James Sorrey, Patrick Martens and Andrew Miller also scored for the Leafs.

Justin Niminiken and Mason Spear replied for the Hawks.

But it may have been the bounce-back weekend of Nelson goalie Patrick Defoe that had the Leaf dressing room buzzing.

“Patrick had a great weekend in goal and played well in Beaver Valley (Saturday),” Maida said. “Come playoff time you need to have two good goalies and we have that in Andrew (Walton) and Patrick.”

BLUELINES: The Beaver Valley game star selection committee should take a look at the game instead of who is wearing the home jerseys. The committee announced a trio of Beaver Valley players, including third star Archie McKinnon who didn’t garner a single point, as three stars following Saturday’s overtime win. A similar occurrence happened back in the 60s when Toronto played at Montreal at the Forum. Three Montreal players earned stars while Frank Mahovlich of the Maple Leafs didn’t get a sniff after scoring three goals and adding two assists in a 6-5 loss. For the record Nelson had three Leaf players earning stars Friday. But this was after a 7-2 drubbling by Nelson . . .First game in the Castlegar/Nelson series goes Friday in the Sunflower City. Game two is Saturday also in Castlegar. Games three and four go Monday and Tuesday in Nelson. If necessary, the series resumes Thursday in Castlegar, Friday in Nelson and Saturday in Castlegar. Nelson game times are 7 p.m. while puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at the Castlegar and District Community Complex Arena. . . .Leaf goalie Andrew Walton has returned to the Leafs after leaving the team for the past week to attend a wedding. . . .Thursday in Grand Forks Nelson dressed three affiliate players — Colton Daschwitz and Justin Post of the Kootenay Ice Major Midgets and goalie Cam McPherson of Nakusp Midgets. . . .Despite finishing with three points Saturday, Beaver Valley’s Chris Derochie failed in his bid top overtake Richard Hubscher of Kimberley for the KIJHL scoring title. The Nitro forward finished two points ahead of Derochie. Derochie was held off the scoresheet Friday in Nelson. . . .Rookie Craig Martin of Beaver Valley won the goal scoring title with 48. Rylan Duley of Kimberley had 45.

sports@thenelsondaily.com