Leafs outlast Braves 8-6 to keep pace in Murdoch Division with Beaver Valley and Castlegar
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The game mirrored a good old fashion, Ali-Frazier boxing match.
The Nelson Leafs fired the first series of haymakers then the Spokane Braves answered some bombs of their own.
And when the final bell sounded the Leafs walked out of the rink with an 8-6 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League victory Friday south of the 49th parallel.
The win allowed Nelson to keep within striking distance of Murdoch leaders Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Castlegar Rebels. Both divisional opponents also won Friday.
Beaver Valley rode the two-goal performance of Dallas Calvin to rock Golden 7-2 while Tyler Robinson scored with nine seconds remaining in overtime to lift Castlegar past Osoyoos 3-2.
In Spokane, Nelson experienced its best road period of the season, jumping to a 4-0 lead on goals by Carsen Willans, Colton Schell, Dallon Stoddart and Brett Norman.
However, the Braves scored five of the next six goals by the nine-minute mark of the third period to even up the game at 5-5.
But Schell scored twice in the third, once on the power play, to spark the Leafs to the two-goal win.
Willans finished the game with two goals while acting captain Jonathan Petrash added a single.
Nik Newman and Matthew Naka had two assists for Nelson. Nick Redding, with a pair, Zak Kroll, Matt Thurston and Uriah Machuga, replied for Spokane.
Andrew Walton survived the scoring barrage to register win number eight on the season.
Spokane out shot the Leafs 36-35 in the game, including 13-8 in the final period.
The teams complete the back end of the home-and-home series Saturday in Nelson at the NDCC Arena.
Game time is 7 p.m.
MURDOCH BANTER: Colton Schell finished the game with four points and took over top spot over Brett Norman in Nelson scoring. Schell also leads the team in goals with 17. . . . Rookie Carsen Willans has been one of the most consistent players this season on the Leafs. The Nelson native is currently riding a four-game point streak — two of the games multiple point affairs. . . . Arthur Andrews and Scott Morriseau also scored for the Rebels in the rematch of last seasons KIJHL Final won by the Desert Dogs. . . .Beaver Valley exploded for five second-period goals to rout the Rockets in Golden. Chris Derochie, Dallas Calvin, Fraser Stang, Justin Niminiken and Tyler Collins did the damage for Beaver Valley. . . . Beaver Valley continues its road trip through the Eddie Mountain Division Saturday in Columbia Valley while Castlegar travels to Summerland.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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