Leafs shutout at home, surrender 11 on road in two-game slide on weekend

Slide continues for Leafs

Photo: File

The Leafs dropped one at home and, for good measure, followed it up with a loss on the road on Saturday night.

Despite a four-goal second period on the road in Fruitvale the Nelson Leafs couldn’t stop the bleeding and dropped an 11-4 KIJHL decision to the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, being outscored 16-4 in two divisional matchups on the weekend.

The Nitehawks secured their win with a five-goal third period. Jonas Bourchier scored twice (12) including the winner. Brady Walker and Ollie Clement also had two-goal performances. Landan Uzeloc stopped 30 of 34 shots. Brady Magarrell led the Nitehawks with four points.

Leafs assistant captain Ryan Williamson scored two of the Leafs’ goals and Parker Toth had three assists, with Julian Laqua (3) and Tye Matthews (4) adding single goals. Reid Schweitzer made 43 saves on 54 shots, facing 23 shots in the third period.

In another penalty-filled affair for the Leafs, the green-and-white took seven minor penalties and surrendered three goals, but were also successful on two of the seven power plays they were given.

One night earlier in Nelson the Leafs kept the score closer but still arrived at the same result after 60 minutes with a 5-0 loss to the Border Bruins at the NDCC in front of 620 fans.

The sword pierced deep into the porous Leafs in the first period, with the buds giving up four goals, including two on the penalty kill. In the game the Bruins were successful on three of their six power plays, and the Leafs scoreless in four attempts.

Brandon Gray’s 11th goal won it for the Border Bruins at 8:35 of the first period, while Thomas Samborski saved 22 shots for his third shutout of the season. Austin Tellefson led them with two goals (26).

Jacob Armstrong made 31 saves for Nelson.

The losses drop the Leafs record to 9-24-3 — and a 1-9 record in the last 10 games — collecting their fifth and sixth losses in a row.

Sitting one point out of last place in the entire 21-team KIJHL, the Leafs are poised to finish with their worst record in 20 years.

Photo: KIJHL

KIJHL standings after the weekend.

Around the Neil Murdoch Division

Saturday

• Spokane Braves (4) at Grand Forks Border Bruins (10)

Austin Tellefson (1G, 5A) and Levi Astill (3G, 2A) combined for 11 points as Tellefson started the play leading to Astill’s winner. Eric Kahl made 26 saves.

The Border Bruins led 6-0 when Ben Race got the Braves on the scoresheet with his 14th goal.

Luke Biletsky scored twice for Spokane, while Jaiden Jakubowski allowed three goals on 11 shots and was replaced by Quintin Barton, who surrendered seven goals on 43 shots.

Friday

• Beaver Valley Nitehawks (9) at Osoyoos Coyotes (2)

The Nitehawks got all the offence they needed in the first period to win with four goals. Brady Magarrell led with five points, including two goals (31) as he set up Nathan Planger’s winner giving them a 3-0 lead.

Connor Drake also scored twice, while Karsten Hugenholtz stopped 22 of 24 shots. He remains undefeated at 8-0.

Jake Torres scored twice (9) for the Coyotes and Ryder Hunt stopped 20 of 26 shots in 32:23 of action before being replaced by Sam Koester.