The Nelson Leafs clinched a playoff spot while winning three games in three days last weekend.
The Leafs beat the Kelowna Chiefs 6-4, downed the Spokane Braves 4-1 and edged the Castlegar Rebels 5-4 in a shootout.
On Friday, Kane Kennedy scored twice for the Leafs (17-21-2) in their win against Kelowna. Devon Barclay, Caden Still, Ty Nykyforuk and Cale Nachai also scored singles, while goaltender Jacob Armstrong made 18 saves.
Aiden Petherick, Matt Fraser, Aiden Morcom and Owen Miller responded for Kelowna (15-18-4). Goaltender Jedd Style got the start but was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots. Michael Makowsky came on in relief and let in two goals on 15 shots.
The Leafs pelted Spokane with 51 shots the following night.
Kennedy, Leighton Partington, Nachai and Still each scored with Armstrong stopping 23 shots.
Tyler Picha was forced to make 47 saves for the league-worst Braves (8-27-3), who were eliminated from playoff contention during the weekend. Deegan Sellers had Spokane’s lone goal.
Partington scored the shootout winner for Nelson during a Sunday matinee against Castlegar.
Partington also scored in regulation with Leafs’ goals coming from Nykyforuk, Bradly Boyarski and Memfis Burgeson.
Aidan Hicks, Ravnoor Randhawa, Josh Gamble and Josh Hogman replied for the Rebels (13-16-8), who failed to score in the shootout and fell two points behind third-place Nelson in the Neil Murdoch Division.
Leafs goaltender Dylan Spackman earned the win with 31 saves, while Rebels netminder Zach Veninsky stopped 28 shots.
Nelson has four games left in the regular season. The Leafs host the Osoyoos Coyotes on Saturday, visit the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Feb. 14, greet the Creston Valley Thunder Cats on Feb. 15 and end the season in Spokane on Feb. 22.
