The Nelson Leafs were unable to beat Beaver Valley goaltender Drake Poirier as they fell 5-0 Friday in the opener of their best-of-seven first-round KIJHL playoff series.
Poirier stopped all 22 Nelson shots as the Nitehawks drew first blood in Fruitvale.
Allan Pruss scored twice and added an assist for Beaver Valley, while Taylor Stafford and Jace Weeger each had a goal and an assist. Weegar also received a roughing major and a game misconduct late in the third.
It was 1-0 Beaver Valley after the first period and 2-0 after the second. Neither team could capitalize on the power play, but Beaver Valley’s final goal, with less than two minutes to go in the game, came shorthanded.
Adam Maida stopped 26 of 31 shots in the Nelson net.
Game two is tonight in Fruitvale before the series shifts back to Nelson on Monday and Tuesday.
In the other first-round Neil Murdoch Division series opener last night, Castlegar beat Spokane 4-3. The Rebels trailed 3-1 until late in the second period. Aaron Petten scored the winner with less than five minutes remaining in the game.