UPDATE: Leafs lead Rebels by two points heading into KIJHL stretch run
By Bruce Fuhr
The dreaded KIJHL website came back to bite The Nelson Daily prior to the posting of Sunday’s Nelson Leafs weekend wrap.
Following Sunday’s 4-0 loss to Revelstoke, talk in the tunnel outside the Nelson dressing room had Spokane posting a 3-2 defeat of the Rebels in the Lilac City allowing the Leafs to continue to lead Castlegar by two points in the standings.
However, the KIJHL site, which is sometimes manned by gremlins, had the Braves and Rebels posting a 3-3 overtime tie.
Once the gremlin was scared off, the correct score was posted, with Spokane winning 3-2 and Nelson reclaiming its two-point advantage in Murdoch standings heading into the crucial part of the season, beginning Friday in Fruitvale against the third-place Hawks.
In February Nelson faces both Beaver Valley and Castlegar twice, both home and away.
The Leafs also travel to Sicamous and Revelstoke to complete its regular season.
Leafs hit speedbump as Revelstoke Grizzlies post 4-0 shutout victory
To coin a Meat Loaf lyric, “Two out of three ain’t bad”.
But Mr. Loaf wasn’t in a tight Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff run with two teams in hot pursuit.
Which is why Sunday’s 4-0 home loss at the hands of the Revelstoke Grizzlies was especially tough to stomach for the Nelson Leafs.
“It slipped away from us but I think we played well, they just got a couple of breaks and scored a couple of goals,” Leaf head coach Frank Maida said after the Grizzlies skated to the shutout victory, thanks mostly to the 30 save performance of netminder Aaron Brandoli.
The loss, the first in five games for Nelson, gives the Leafs a slim one-point lead over the hard-charging Castlegar Rebels in the run for the Murdoch Division title.
Nelson, posting wins over Spokane (8-3) Friday and Grand Forks (4-2) Saturday, maintained its advantage in the division thanks to the Braves holding the Rebels to a 3-3-overtime tie Sunday in the Washington State City.
Back at the NDCC Arena, rookie Jordan Holloway scored the only goal the Grizz would need in the first period as the Alberta native beat Leaf starter Brett Soles.
Holloway would net his second of the game less than five minutes later.
Maida tried shift the momentum by replacing Soles with backup Marcus Beesley. But the change couldn’t turn shots into goals for the Green and White.
“I made the change to try to spark the guys,” Maida explained when asked about the goalie switch.
“I just tried to get the guys going. It’s the first time we’ve made a change that quick this year.”
Dylan Ossman, in the second and a power play marker by Brayden Beckley in the third, was all the scoring the Grizzlies would need.
Nelson once again dominated on the shot-counter, 30-14.
The Leafs finished the month of January with a 7-3 record.
Bruins no easy points for the Murdoch heavyweights
A goal by Colton Schell two minutes into the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and sparked Nelson to a 4-2 win over the pesky Grand Forks Border Bruins.
James Sorrey, into an empty net, Dustin Reimer and Damin Devlin on the power play, also scored for the Leafs.
Jacob Jeske and Jackson Purvis replied for the Bruins.
Nelson out shot the Bruins 40-19, including a 19-5 count in the third period.
Brett Soles earned the win in goal for the Leafs.
Grand Forks, which only lost to Castlegar 2-1 after being blasted 11-0 earlier in January, came into the game on a high after defeating Revelstoke 7-4 Friday.
Purvis and Nelson Minor Hockey grad Coleton Dawson each scored twice for the Bruins.
Dakota Kittle had four points while Purvis finished the game with three.
Leafs overcome slow start to rout Braves
Nelson allowed visiting Spokane to build a 3-0 lead before scoring eight unanswered goals en route to the 8-3 victory at the NDCC Arena Friday.
Aaron Dunlap scored twice to lead the Leafs with Dustin Reimer, James Sorrey, Linden Horswill, J.J. Beitel, Dallon Stoddart and Seth Schmidt adding singles.
After scoring twice in a 30 second span, Nelson turned a one-goal deficit into a 5-3 advantage with three goals in 100 seconds.
Captain Colton Schell and Connor Gross each chipped in with three assists.
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