The Nelson Leafs wrapped up pre-season play by splitting a home-and-away series with the Creston Valley Thunder Cats.
Johnny Carmichael scored two power-play goals Friday as the Leafs beat the Thunder Cats 4-2 in Nelson.
Nelson rookie Tristan Magis opened the scoring with a short-handed goal while Aiden Doornbos also scored. Goaltender Jasper Tait meanwhile made 32 saves in net.
Blake Anderson and Stavros Koutsantonis replied for the Thunder Cats, with goalie Jacob Burnside stopping 25 shots.
The next night in Creston, Koutsantonis scored with 19 seconds left in regulation to lift the Thunder Cats to a 3-2 win.
Brayden MacKay and Anderson also scored for Creston Valley, with goalie Aaron Kaner stopping 28 shots.
Joe Davidson scored shorthanded for Nelson while rookie Carsyn Crawford opened the scoring on a power play. Kael Beauregard took the loss with 21 saves.
Saturday’s game was littered with penalties. The Leafs served 91 total minutes in the box to Creston’s 62. The chief offender was Nelson’s Drake Proctor, who was assessed two minutes for being an aggressor, a five-minute major for fighting, a 10-minute game misconduct and a 20-minute gross misconduct all near the end of the first period.
Nelson opens the regular season at home Friday against the Princeton Posse.
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