Hawks clinch Murdoch, now enter post season as early divisional favourite to capture playoff title
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr, The Nelson Daily
The first round of the Murdoch playoffs have been set.
And now Terry Jones and the Hawk players can sit back and watch the Nelson Leafs and Castlegar Rebels pound the daylights out of each other during the first round of the playoffs while Beaver Valley toys with the Spokane Braves.
While nothing is set in stone come playoff time, during the past handful of seasons the team surviving the regular season test in the Murdoch Division usually wins the playoff title.
“It’s really important to win the division and avoid that tough first round matchup,” Hawks’ head coach Terry Jones told The Nelson Daily earlier this season.
“Last year we played Nelson in the first round and had nothing really left for Castlegar in the next round,” Jones added. “So it’s important to win the division.”
Castlegar defeated Spokane in the first round of the playoffs last season, then dominated Beaver Valley in the next round en route to the KIJHL final under the guidance of head coach Steve Junker.
The Hawks managed the feat during the weekend by taking three points from the Rebels in two very close overtime games between the two West Kootenay rivals.
Christian Johnson was the hero Friday for Beaver Valley, scoring at 3:26 of the second overtime period to edge the Rebels 4-3.
Saturday Castlegar returned the favour, winning 4-3 on a Scott Morriseau overtime marker.
But the three-point weekend by the Hawks secured the Murdoch Division title as Beaver Valley leads by 11 points with only five games remaining for Castlegar.
Beaver Valley now plays out the string before hosting Spokane Braves in the first round of the KIJHL playoffs.
The Hawks have owned the Braves this season.
Meanwhile, Castlegar and Nelson continue their season rivalry this weekend with a home-and-home series before opening in the best-of-seven series in the Sunflower City.
The Leafs, currently 7-1-0-2 in the last 10 games, have played the Rebels tough this season with the teams splitting the series each winning three times.
Nelson survived a tough Super Bowl Sunday game against Spokane. Uriah Machuga had six points but Nelson still won 8-7.
James Sorrey, who had not scored a goal since before Christmas, potted the winner in the last two minutes to send the fans home happy.
Colton Schell led the Leafs with three points.
Beaver Valley hosts Golden and Spokane Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at the Hawks Nest.
Grand Forks travels to Castlegar Tuesday to meet the Rebels.
Trio of Hawks chase Hubscher for the KIJHL lead
The three-headed Monster in Beaver Valley — Ryan Edwards, rookie Craig Martin and Chris Derochie — are currently chasing Nitro sniper Richard Hubscher for the KIJHL lead in scoring.
The Kimberley player leads the league in scoring with 93 points, two in front of Derochie.
Martin is one point in back of his Beaver Valley teammate at 90 and three in front of Edwards.
Martin owns the goal scoring lead by a wide margin over Rylan Duley of Kimberley and Chase Edwards of Kamloops. Martin has 45 goals, five in front of Duley and Edwards.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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