In desperate need of a win, the Nelson Leafs instead turned in one of their worst playoff performances in years.
One night after penalties cost them Game 3 against the Grand Forks Border Bruins, the Leafs spent the first two periods of Game 4 on Tuesday looking like a team too worried about making mistakes.
Sure, they didn’t take any penalties in the first 40 minutes. But they also stopped taking the body, appeared apathetic on defence and even seemed too hesitant to forecheck.
“I think we dialled it back too much,” said Leafs forward Seamus Boyd. “We let them walk all over us.”
Levi Astill scored twice as the Border Bruins hammered the Leafs 5-2 to take a 3-1 series lead. Grand Forks can clinch the series at home on Friday.
Kane Kennedy and Boyd each scored for the Leafs. Karl Soneff meanwhile allowed four goals on 23 shots before being replaced by Jackson McLeod, who made 10 saves.
Levi Astill and Tyler Burke each scored while JP Desabrais added a single for the Border Bruins and Ethan Shebansky stopped 38 shots.
The Leafs had a strong third period, outshooting the visitors 21-8 while scoring their first two power-play goals of the series. But the damage had already been done.
Asked what one change might be for his team ahead of a must-win Game 5, Leafs head coach Briar McNaney quipped, “Just one?”
Grand Forks seemed to smell blood as soon as the puck dropped.
The Border Bruins had struggled to score 5-on-5 so far in the series but they were at even strength when Astill gave them an early lead. Luke Nottveit’s shot was stopped by Soneff but Astill was perfectly placed in the slot to fire in the rebound.
Grand Forks asserted itself in the second.
First, Jace Koole shovelled the puck to Astill in the slot for a fast goal. Then three minutes later Burke skated uncontested into the Leafs’ zone and whipped a shot that beat Soneff top corner.
“We didn’t play our D-zone or regroup as well. We took a night off that we can’t be taking off at this time of year,” said McNaney.
The first penalty of the game was finally called more than midway through the period. Nelson had the power play but failed to generate any quality chances.
Shortly after the penalty ended, Desabrais was fed a nice pass in front of Soneff and scored. That led to Soneff, Nelson’s best player through the first three games of the series, getting the hook in favour of McLeod.
The Leafs opened the third by taking two penalties as Boyd and Leighton Partington were each called for separate infractions at the same time. Mercifully, Nelson killed off the 5-on-3 thanks to several big saves by McLeod.
Nelson finally got on the scoreboard on the power play. Kennedy was ready and waiting for a rebound off Shebansky with a shot into a wide-open net.
“Once we started picking it up in the third we actually started getting some O-zone time, got some shots on net,” said Boyd. “I thought we kind of dominated them in the third, but we’ve got to play like that the whole game. We can’t just play one period.”
The Leafs promptly went on another power play and Aidan Turner nearly halved the visitor’s lead, but his shot rang off the iron behind Shebansky.
A hit from behind on the boards by Border Bruins forward Keanan Pearman on Trey Schofield badly shook the Leafs blueliner, who had to be helped off the ice with just over four minutes left.
“It’s what you don’t want to see,” said McNaney. “It’s what we’re trying to take out of the game for years now.”
On the ensuing five-minute major, Nelson pulled McLeod for the extra man and it backfired when Burke scored into an empty net.
Boyd added one more Nelson goal with 1:48 left on a shot that somehow beat Shebansky short side.
In 2022, Boyd was on the Leafs team that went down 3-1 in the first round to the Castlegar Rebels before rallying back to win the series. The Leafs went on to play in the KIJHL championship series.
The Nelson native knows what it takes to claw back a series.
“It’s mainly just everyone’s got to step up. It can’t just be one or two guys in the room. … No shifts off, no games off.”
Leaflets: A moment of silence was held for Greg St. George, the manager of the Nelson Leafs Recycling Centre, who passed away prior to the game. … Game 6, if necessary, is Saturday in Nelson. A Game 7 would be Monday in Grand Forks. … The winner of the series will play the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in the next round. The Nitehawks advanced by sweeping the Castlegar Rebels on Tuesday.