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Leafs win two out of three during busy weekend

Nelson played four games in six days
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The Nelson Leafs survived three games in three days with a pair of weekend wins.

The Leafs (21-11-4) scored a 3-2 win against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in Fruitvale on Friday, doubled the Creston Valley Thunder Cats 6-3 at home Saturday and fell 5-3 to the Columbia Valley Rockies in Nelson on Sunday afternoon.

The Leafs also ended 2019 with a 6-3 victory over the Nitehawks on Dec. 31.

In that game, the Leafs scored five goals in the third period against their division rival.

Joe Davidson scored twice, while Cole Wyatt, Tyler Badger, Reid Wilson and Ryan Quinn Nielsen-Webb added singles. Anderson Violette meanwhile made 28 saves.

Kevin Engman allowed five goals in net for the Nitehawks, who had goals from Gavin Damstrom, Simon Nemethy and Kaleb Percival.

In the rematch Friday, Wyatt and David Sanchez scored a pair of quick goals in the third period to lift the Leafs over the Nitehawks 3-2.

Bryden Pow also scored for Nelson, and Violette again made 28 saves.

Former Leafs goaltender Hunter Young allowed all three goals for Beaver Valley (21-7-5), which had goals from Bradley Ross and Brock Wallace.

On Saturday, Nelson native Tenzin Mint was spectacular with a 52-save performance en route to the win over Creston Valley.

Wilson scored twice and had two assists, while Wyatt (one goal, three assists) also had a four-point game.

Davidson, Tyler Pisiak and Shawn Campbell also scored for the Leafs, who had four goals in the third period.

Ty Grisdale scored twice for the Thunder Cats (15-13-5), while Ryan Patterson added a single and Justin Faiella made 24 saves.

The Leafs finally broke in the third period of Sunday’s finale when the Rockies scored four goals en route to the win.

Tristan Lambert scored twice for the Rockies (18-11-6), while Jonathan Milligan and Gavin Fleck also added singles. Goaltender Riley Wallace stopped 20 shots.

Wilson, Campbell and Davidson replied for Nelson, while Violette allowed five goals on 17 shots.

The results leave Nelson one point behind the Neil Murdoch Division-leading Nitehawks, who have three games in hand.

The Leafs now take a breather before returning to the ice Jan. 14 in Grand Forks. Nelson’s next home game is Jan. 17 against the Kimberley Dynamiters.