Leafs continue to slide, Rebels double Hawks to increase Murdoch lead
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs are going in the wrong direction at the wrong time of the season.
Cameron Berry and Nathan Grieve scored power play goals in the second period to power the Sicamous Eagles to a 5-2 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League victory over the Leafs Friday in Shuswap Country.
The loss, coupled with Castlegar’s 4-2 win over Beaver Valley Nitehawks, drops the Leafs three points behind the Rebels in the race for the Murdoch Division title.
The Leafs, losing for the fourth straight time, continue its brief two-game road swing through the Okanagan Conference Saturday in Revelstoke.
Meanwhile the Rebels and Hawks resume its home-and-home series Saturday in Fruitvale.
Nelson got the start it wanted when Dallon Stoddart scored on the power play 12 minutes into the opening frame.
But Brad Cruump evened the score for Sicamous before the period ended.
Colton Schell restored the Nelson lead in the second before the lights went out on the Leafs with the two Sicamous special teams markers.
Berry put the dagger in the backs of the Leafs with his second marker of the game 23 seconds into the final period.
After generating 28 shots in the first two periods, Nelson had nothing left in the third only managing nine shots at Eagles netminder Jack Surgenor.
Marcus Beesley, brought in as the Leafs backstopper in goal, suffered his second straight defeat between the pipes.
Walton leads Rebels past Hawks
Veteran forward Stuart Walton scored twice as Castlegar doubled the Hawks 4-2 in the Sunflower City.
Castlegar scored twice in each of the first two periods, then rode the 28-save performance of Jordan Gluck to secure the win and top spot in the division.
Travis Wellman and Quinn Klimchuk also scored for the winners.
Nick Perez and Taylor Stafford replied for the Hawks.
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