Last-place Braves beat Leafs on road on strength of three power play goals

Braves best Leafs

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A pre-game moment of silence in memory of Nelson's Everest Conboy and Spokane's Amelia Carollo.

The Nelson Leafs returned to their losing ways after breaking their eight-game losing streak, dropping a 6-2 road game to the last place Spokane Chiefs.

The Leafs weren’t able to muster much offence in their last game before the KIJHL Christmas break on Dec. 21, despite racing out to a 2-1 lead midway through the second period on goals by Leafs captain Leighton Partington and rookie Sebastien Conne-Correnti (sixth).

But the Leafs allowed three power play goals — out of seven chances — and could only convert one of their six man-advantage chances into a goal in return.

The Leafs goaltenders had a busy night, facing 50 shots — with the Leafs returning fire with 26 of their own — with Dylan Spackman making 30 saves on 35 shots in 32:31 of action. Jason Armstrong came on and stopped 14 of 15 shots to finish the game.

The Leafs could end the 2024 portion of the season on a high note, however, when they travel to Fruitvale to take on the Neil Murdoch Division’s second place Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Dec. 31 in an afternoon tilt.

Leafs rise over adversity in slump and gain first win in nine games

Drought ends for Leafs

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The drought is over.

The Nelson Leafs have ended their winless skid at eight games with a 4-2 win over division rival Castlegar Rebels on Friday night in Nelson.

Around 840 fans crammed the Nelson and District Community Complex to watch the home side stake a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Kane Kennedy (13) and Julian Laqua (1).

Although the Rebels came back with two goals — Evan Calder (10) on the power play and Josh Gamble (8) — Leafs Kieran Christianson added his seventh goal to score the game winner at the end of the second period. Quinn Ramsay scored his team leading 14th goal into the empty net to round out the scoring, in addition to collecting two assists.

Leafs captain Leighton Partington added in two assists, while goaltender Jason Spackman made 26 saves for the win. Rebels’ goaltender Mason Hiller stopped 34 shots in a losing effort. Each team took only four minor penalties, with the Rebels cashing in on one man advantage.

The Leafs face the last place team in the KIJHL, the Spokane Braves, tonight on the road in the American city, a place they were shut out 4-0 three weeks ago.

Leafs tighten up on defence but still drop two more weekend games

Leafs continue to slide

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Two more games and two more losses for the Nelson Leafs on the weekend.

The bleeding might not have stopped but it has slowed for the KIJHL club that has now dropped nine of their last 10 games, lowering their goals against from the second highest total of 4.56 per game this season to an average of three for last weekend.

On Friday night before 535 fans the Leafs were defeated 4-1 by the Murdoch Division leading Grand Forks Border Bruins. The Leafs captain Leighton Partington tied the game at one early in the second period before a Bruins’ power play goal midway through the frame proved to be the game winner.

Bruins goaltender Jasper Tait made 23 saves for the win against his former team, while Leafs’ Jacob Armstrong made 38 saves in the loss.

The return match on Saturday night in Grand Forks was a better effort for the Leafs, but ultimately with the same result as the Heritage city club lost 2-1 in a shootout. Dylan Spackman was spectacular in the game for the Leafs, stopping 43 of 44 shots. Tait made 18 saves for the win.

The Leafs lone goal was scored by Keiran Christianson.

Gap closes between Leafs, Rebels as Nelson side continues to slide

Leafs continue slide

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The gap between the third place Nelson Leafs and the fourth place Castlegar Rebels is closing after the Heritage city club dropped two more games on the weekend, while the Rebels won two.

After dismissing head coach Brian McNaney on Monday the Leafs looked to start with a clean slate and turn their sliding KIJHL season around on the weekend at home, but lost both games to the top teams in the league.

Assistant Leafs coach Gianni Mangone was handed the interim head coach duties and, although he managed to stem the bleeding on the defensive end a little — surrounding four goals per game instead of the 4.56 the team was averaging — his charges fell short in both games.

With the league leading Princeton Posse in town on Saturday night the Leafs battled to a draw in the first period — being tied at one on a Quinn Ramsay goal (13) — and being outshot 17-8 in the period. The Posse pulled away in the second with another goal, adding two in the third period — including an empty net goal — for the 4-1 win.

But the Posse were too much for the rebounding Leafs, throwing 47 shots at Leafs goaltender Dylan Spackman, who managed to stop 44 in the losing effort. The Leafs countred with 32 shots.

Around 380 people came out to witness the event, who took 42 minutes in penalties (same as the Posse), including 11 minor penalties. The Leafs only dressed nine forwards but seven defencemen for the game.

The next night the Posse ran out of gas against the Rebels, losing 3-2 in overtime.

On Friday night at the NDCC 420 people saw the Leafs fall behind 3-0 in the first period of their game against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks — on a shorthanded goal and one power play goal — but battle back in the second period.

Ramsay had his 12th to start the three-goal outburst, and Carsyn Crawford had his eighth and ninth (on the power play) to tie the game heading into the third period. Leafs captain Leighton Partington had assists on all three goals.

But, after playing the third period without any scoring, at 1:27 of the overtime the Nitehawks’ Hunter Hansen scored to give the visitors the win. Beaver Valley outshot the Leafs 31-29, with Leafs goaltender Jacob Armstrong stopping 27 shots.

The Rebels travelled to Creston and beat the Valley Thunder Cats 4-1 on Saturday.

The Leafs now have one win in their last eight games but still sit in third place in the Neil Murdoch Division (12-12-1) and are mired in the middle of the KIJHL standings at 12th place in the 21-team league. However, the Leafs have surrendered the second most goals in the league (113) despite scoring the eighth most goals (89).