The Nelson Leafs commanded the ice against the Creston Valley Thunder Cats beating their Kootenay Conference rivals 6 to 2.
The Leafs opened scoring near the midway point of the first period Friday night. Creston’s Matti Jmaeff was off the ice for high-sticking when Nelson’s Brandon Sookro scored a power play goal with help from teammates Seth Schmidt and Colton Schell.
Fans at Nelson Community Complex were treated to a rash of goals in second period action with Leafs’ Carson Willans scoring off a pass from Dustin Reimer early on. Thunder Cats’ Angus Johnston capitalized on a Colton Schell penalty scoring at 5:24.
Leafs’ Linden Horswill went on a tear having a hand in his teams next four goals, earning first star accolades for the game. With 11:43 left in the second period he and Kyler Wilkinson fed the puck to Dustin Reimer who made the score 3 to 1.
At 11:53, Brandon Sookro scored a power play goal catching the puck from Willans and Horswill. Horswill and Colton Schell got the assist on Seth Schmidt’s power play goal with 5:36 left in the second.
Heading into the dressing room after two, the home team was up 5 to 2.
The Willans, Horswill, Schell trio continued to be hot in the third as Willans scored the Leafs sixth goal of the game at 7:11.
Not willing to give up the fight, Creston Valley Thunder Cats Marcel Fuchs scored from Angus Johnston and Andrew Hotter. It was a power play goal that made the final score 6 to 2.
Leafs’ Sookro was given the game’s second star and Willans got the third star nod.
Creston Valley Thunder Cats outshot the Nelson Leafs 34 to 22.
Nelson Leafs play at home again on Wednesday taking on the Castlegar Rebels who sit in second place in the Kootenay Conference behind first place Leafs. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Nelson and District Community Complex.