A great start for the Nelson Leafs was, paradoxically, where Memfis Burgeson thought his team's misfortunes began.
The Leafs scored just 57 seconds into their home game Friday against the Merritt Centennials. But they didn't push the issue further, and Burgeson said that was the original sin in what became a blowout loss.
“After that shift we’ve got to score again. Get the boys going, lay a hit, keep the momentum going. Then I’d say we’re winning that game.”
In the end, the Leafs weren't even close. Dylan Ruff scored twice as the Centennials dumped Nelson 7-3.
Wyatt Ball, Steven Foster, Brayden Thurlow, Sam Giangualano and Maxim Radmanovich also had goals for the Centennials (8-5-3). Goaltender Andrew Krakora meanwhile stopped 25 shots.
Kane Kennedy scored twice and Connor Hovelkamp added one for the Leafs (9-7-0), with Jacob Armstrong making 26 saves.
Leafs head coach Briar McNaney said his team had no one to blame but themselves for the result, although he thought Armstrong deserved better.
“I think this game was purely on mistakes driven by us. [Merritt is] a hard-working hockey team over there. But at the end of the day, we feel that all seven goals by them were generated by us.”
Nelson's opening salvo was a point shot by Burgeson that was tipped by Kennedy. Krakora made the initial save but couldn’t keep Kennedy from scoring on the rebound.
Merritt tied the game on a poor defensive sequence for the Leafs. After the Centennials retook possession at centre ice, Thurlow was allowed into the Nelson zone uncontested with just one defender in front of him. He passed to a wide-open Ruff, who beat Armstrong blocker side.
Nelson retook the lead with 11 seconds left before the first intermission. The Leafs were on a power play when Rylan Konecsni took the puck in the neutral zone, used his speed to skate around Merritt players at the blueline and whipped a pass across the slot to a waiting Kennedy for a one-timer.
Merritt again drew level three minutes into the second period after Ball converted on a breakaway.
But Nelson answered back on a power play thanks to a bit of puck luck. A defender’s shot may have been deflected as it took a number of bounces through sticks and skates into the slot where Hovelkamp was waiting for the goal to put the Leafs ahead 3-2.
The topsy-turvy game continued with another Centennials goal. The visitors had man advantage when Foster took the zone and finished off a quick three-player passing play for the tying goal.
The Centennials earned their first lead of the game less than two minutes later. Ruff skated along the boards around the Leafs’ defence, then appeared to surprise Nelson players by turning hard into the slot and wrapping the pack around Armstrong as he slid into the goalie.
Merritt took control of the game only 15 seconds into the final period. Thurlow was in the slot when he whacked at the puck, sending it through Armstrong’s five-hole for a 5-3 lead.
McNaney said he was encouraged that his players were showing the right attitude on the bench even as Merritt padded its lead.
“Sometimes you just burn out and bounces happen, penalties get called at certain times, and it just kind of gets away from you. Just one of those hockey games.”
Nelson was on a power play when Merritt’s Giangualano effectively sealed the win. He won the puck at the blueline for a breakaway, faked Armstrong with a sneaky deke and finished the move with a goal.
Burgeson agreed the defence let too many pucks behind them throughout the night.
“We can't really dwell on that. We’ve got to obviously look at it, learn from it, not do it again.”
The visitors played with a 4-on-3 advantage late in the third after Burgeson and Cale Nachai took penalties. A shot off the post deflected to Radmanovich who scored on the rebound with just over a minute left to complete the blowout.
Leaflets: The Leafs announced they have acquired D Julian Laqua from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Nipawin Hawks. Laqua didn’t suit up for Friday’s game. … Props to the arena worker who used a fire extinguisher to repair the ice during a break in the second period. … Nelson next hosts the Kimberley Dynamiters on Saturday.
