Leaf outlast Rebels 9-6 to sweep home-and-home Murdoch Division series
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Troy Petrick scored three times to spark the Nelson Leafs to a 9-6 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League shootout victory over the Castlegar Rebels Friday night at the NDCC Arena.
The win allowed Nelson to sweep the home-and-home series.
Nelson has not lost to Castlegar this season.
For Petrick, the game marked the first multi-goal contest since joining the Leafs November 29.
The Nelson Minor Hockey grad scored in each period, with the third marker coming 16 seconds after Jeremy McNeil had cut the Leafs lead to 6-5 early in the third period.
The goal by Petrick all but deflated the Rebel comeback.
Nick Trefry, Aaron Dunlap, Robson Cramer, Travis Wellman and Jamie Vlanich also score for Nelson, which led 4-3 after 40 minutes.
Petrich and Linden Horswill each finished with four points while Vlanich and Trefry had three.
Brett Leidl, Darren Medeiros, Mike Bhatoa, Kody Disher and Hunter Jenerou replied for Castlegar.
McNeil and Conner Beauchemin each had three points for Castlegar.
Brad rebagliati faced 32 shots to register the win in goal.
Patrick Zubick took the loss in goal for Castlegar.
The win was the second in as many nights for the Leafs over their Murdoch Division rivals.
Nelson defeated Castlegar 6-2 Thursday in the Sunflower City.
The Leafs are idle until travelling to Beaver Valley to face the Nitehawks December 29. Two days later Nelson hosts the Hawks in the traditional New Year’s Eve contest.
Meanwhile, the Rebels meet the Nitehawks in a home-and-home series beginning December 27 in Castlegar.
BLUELINES: Nelson played the game without the services of captain Darnell St. Pierre, serving a suspension for a five-minute major for hitting the head during Thursday’s contest. St. Pierre’s teammate, Brandon Sookro, also did not play due to suspension from Thursday’s game . . . Austin Tambellini was called up for the game from the Kootenay Ice of the BC Hockey Major Midget League. It was the seventh game Tambellini has played for Nelson this season. . . . After going scoreless in his first three games with Nelson, Troy Petrick has points in four of the past five games. . . .The Castlegar bus driver and assistant coach, Bruno Tassone, were both ejected from the game in the second period. . . . Nelson, 25-4-1-3, hold a five point lead over Beaver Valley in Murdoch Division standings. The Leafs have played one more game than Beaver Valley.
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