Hawks, Leafs headed for Murdoch Division showdown; Bruins fall out of playoff race
By The Nelson Daily Sports
It appears the Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Nelson Leafs are heading for a showdown to decide the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Murdoch Division regular season title.
Both teams took care of business during the weekend setting up the final regular season game February 22 in Fruitvale as the deciding game.
Nelson swept the Grand Forks Border Bruins in a weekend series, Saturday’s 6-5 win in the Boundary City as the clincher.
The Leafs opened with a 6-4 win Friday at home.
For the Hawks, the two-headed monster of Ryan Edwards and Dallas Calvin led Beaver Valley to 6-3 and 8-3 victories over the Castlegar Rebels.
Beaver Valley continues to trail the Leafs by two points in the Murdoch standings. However, the Hawks have two games remaining in the season to Nelson’s one.
The Hawks travel to Spokane Friday before hosting Nelson Saturday at home.
Leafs tame struggling Bruins
For the second straight game Nelson jumped all over the Bruins before coasting the road win in Grand Forks Saturday.
Linden Horsill, Aaron Dunlap and Alex Wilkinson scored in the opening frame to give Nelson a 3-1 advantage after 20 minutes.
Nelson out shot the Bruins 22-6 in the period.
Tucker Brown scored the lone goal for the Grand Forks.
Carsen Willans, Travis Wellman and Connor Tetlock scored in the middle frame to give Nelson a 6-3 lead.
Jackson Purvis and Connor Gross replied for the Bruins.
In the third the Bruins pushed the Leafs, but could only muster goals by Nelson Minor Hockey product Coleton Dawson and Brown, with his second of the game.
“We had a successful weekend,” said Leaf coach Frank Maida.
“We went into the weekend with a goal of getting four points and we achieved our goal.”
Adam Maida kicked faced 36 shots in the Nelson nets to out duel Dominic Stadnyk for the win.
Nelson was missing KIJHL leading scorer Jamie Vlanich for the game. The Leaf sniper was handed a match penalty for kicking during a fight with Dakota Kittle in the third period of Friday’s win.
Vlanich, who took a couple of big hits in the game, including a knee-on-knee exchange at center ice from former Leaf Connor Gross, is awaiting word on if there will be a suspension or even if a match penalty should have been called on the play as the video tape of the game shows no skate actions.
Leaf management is awaiting a final decision from KIJHL governors and BC Hockey.
The loss for Grand Forks saw a playoff run end almost as quickly as it started for the Boundary franchise.
Grand Forks has lost six straight games and nine out of its last 11 games.
Hawks Edwards too much for Rebels to handle
Ryan Edwards busted out of a passive goal scoring slump with a four-goal outburst to lead Beaver Valley past Castlegar 8-3.
The Hawks put the game away early by scoring four times in the opening frame, two going to Braden Fuller and Edwards and Dallas Calvin adding singles.
The teams exchanged second period goals before Beaver Valley out scored the Rebels 3-2 in the final frame.
Aaron Brewer, Darren Medeiros and Sam Swanson replied for Castlegar.
Friday, Calvin scored three times to pace the Hawks to a 6-3 win.
Edwards had a goal and two assists while Riley Brandt and Jeremy Lucchini also scored for the Hawks.
Edwards is currently riding a five game scoring streak, with 15 points and seven goals.
Braves get hot at right time
Spokane Braves could leapfrog over Castlegar in the race for third in the Murdoch Division.
The Braves meet Grand Forks in the Boundary City Sunday.
Castlegar, with only one game remaining in the season, holds a one-point lead over the Braves.
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