The Nelson Leafs slid out of first place in the Neil Murdoch Division after losing a pair of weekend home games.
Nelson fell 5-3 to the Revelstoke Grizzlies on Friday before being run off the ice in a 6-1 loss to the Columbia Valley Rockies on Saturday.
Against the Grizzlies, goals by Ryan Janowski and Shawn Grobowsky within 12 seconds gave the Leafs an early 2-0 lead.
But despite another goal from Bryden Pow in the first period, the Leafs squandered their advantage after Revelstoke scored three times in the third period. Leafs goaltender Anderson Violette was on the hook for four goals on 32 shots.
Matt Cadden and Jake Petrie each scored twice for the defending KIJHL champion Grizzlies (21-3-3), while Cody Flann added a single.
Revelstoke starter Noah Desouza meanwhile was taken out of the game after surrendering three goals on eight shots. His replacement, Andrew Palm, was perfect on just 16 shots faced.
On Saturday, the Rockies came out firing and led 6-0 after two periods.
Palmer Sinclair, Erik Lloyd, Hunter Rambow, Greg Parker, Zachery Dovichak and Jonathan Milligan each scored for Columbia Valley (12-10-4), while Bretton Park stopped 22 shots.
Reid Wilson, who returned to the Leafs while also playing for the Trail Smoke Eaters, had the lone goal for Nelson. Tenzin Mint meanwhile stopped 27 shots.
The Leafs (17-8-4) have now lost six of their last eight games. That leaves them one point behind the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, who have two games in hand.
Nelson also visited the Castlegar Rebels on Tuesday after the Star’s publishing deadline. For more on that game, visit nelsonstar.com.
tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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