Murdoch Division congested at the top, Nelson hosts Castlegar while Storm invades Hawks Nest
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Castlegar Rebels slipped out of top spot in the Murdoch Division without even lacing up a skate.
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks used a mid-week-game-in-hand to dump Spokane 4-1 to move ahead of Castlegar in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Murdoch Division standings.
The Hawks, winners of three straight, used two-point performances from Nick Perez and Russell Mortlock to outlast the Braves and now lead Rebels by a single point.
Nelson is three behind the Hawks in third.
Beaver Valley hosts Kamloops Storm Friday and Grand Forks Border Bruins Saturday in games two and three of a four-game home stand.
Leafs, Rebels resume rivalry
It’s easy to understand why some members of the Castlegar Rebels and Nelson Leafs don’t like each other.
In the past 24 games Nelson has played, dating back to last season and including 2012 exhibition, the Leafs have faced their rivals to the west 11 times.
Friday, the Leafs and Rebels meet for game 12 as Castlegar visits the Heritage City in the first of a two-game home-and-home series.
Game time is 7 p.m.
“This is a very important weekend for us facing Castlegar,” said Leaf head coach Frank Maida. “What we have to do to be successful is pretty much what we did last weekend, work hard for 60 minutes.”
The Leafs must contain Castlegar’s leading scorer, Stuart Walton. The 20-year-old center is off to a great start in his final season of junior hockey with six goals for 12 points.
The last time the teams played, Nelson couldn’t find an answer for Rebel netminder Jordan Gluck, despite firing 28 shots at the Castlegar net.
Gluck got the better of the Leafs, pitching a 1-0 shutout.
Big game for Bruins against Spokane Saturday
If the Grand Forks Border Bruins want any chance at scoring a playoff berth, the squad had better start beating the Spokane Braves.
Spokane holds down the final playoff spot in the division entering the weekend, five points in front of the Bruins.
Grand Forks, loser of eight straight games, host the Braves Saturday in a four-point game.
Sunday the Bruins host Kamloops Storm.
After winning on opening weekend, the Bruins have struggled to score goals. Only the Penticton Lakers have scored fewer times than the Bruins 17 markers.
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