Leafs edge Braves 3-1 to hold on to lead in Murdoch Division; Hawks double Rebels 6-3
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs looked anything like a division leader Friday night at the NDCC Arena.
Fact is, for the past few games the Green and White have been a shadow of the team that was almost unbeatable in November.
Still the Leafs played just a little better than the Spokane Braves, scoring three unanswered goals to edge the Murdoch rivals 3-1 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action before 543 fans in Nelson.
Kootenay Ice Major Midget player Brandon Sookro scored the winner on a play that would call lucky at best.
Sookro was in the right place at the right time, jamming the puck into the open net as the puck shot from the point by defenceman Cam Weir rebounded off the back boards, eluding Spokane goalie Matt Zenzola.
Dallon Stoddart put the game away with an empty net marker in the final minute.
Nelson was lucky not to be down 2-0 in the first period.
After Dylan Tappe scored to give the Braves the 1-0 lead Spokane had a goal disallowed due to a high stick.
Nelson tied the game in the second on the power play when Dustin Reimer roofed a screened shot past Zenzola.
Leaf netminder Brett Soles won for the 14th time in 15 games.
Former Nelson coach Simon Wheeldon was behind the bench with assistant Brent Petrick as head coach Frank Maida was away on personal business.
Connor Gross, traded this week to Nelson from Grand Forks, is expected to arrive in the Heritage City on the weekend.
The Leafs now lead second-place Castlegar Rebels by four points in the Murdoch Division after the Sunflower City squad lost 6-3 to Beaver Valley Nitehawks Friday in Fruitvale.
Nelson plays Saturday in Spokane before hosting Beaver Valley in the traditional New Year’s Eve game Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
Calvin sinks Rebels
In Fruitvale, Beaver Valley forward Dallas Calvin was a one-man wrecking crew, totalling six points to lead the Hawks to a 6-3 victory over Castlegar.
Calvin finished the game with four goals as Beaver Valley jumped to a 4-1 first period lead and never looked back.
Connor Brown-Maloski and Dan Holland also scored for the Hawks.
Jamie Vlanich, Aaron Petten and Erik Alden replied for Castlegar.
Beaver Valley scored three power play goals and one short handed in the game.
The teams play a return game Saturday in Castlegar.
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