Despite efforts from the Nelson Leafs to keep momentum in their favour, the Summerland Steam stole a one goal lead in the third period giving them a win in Sunday’s game.
“I didn’t feel like our lines were connecting and we just weren’t some advances,” said Dallon Stoddart. “The Steam are a team that we shouldn’t be losing to and that’s just going to be a lesson on the year that that’s not the game we want to play.”
The Leafs were the first to get on the board on Sunday with a powerplay goal by newbie Nik Newman, but the lead didn’t last long and the Steam scored their first goal of the night by Josh Spence.
Despite a lot of close calls followed by gasps from anxious Leafs fans, the game remained tied going into the second period.
Both teams powered back and forth down the net and the Leafs led the game in shots on net, but the Steam took the lead in the second period when Jordan McCallum poked the puck into the net past Patrick Defoe.
Less than a minute later, Colton Schell snuck the puck past Steam goalie Sam Bass to tie the game for the second time in the game.
But the Steam stole the lead with a goal shot high over Defoe by Spence.
Newman came back two minutes later to score his second goal of the night with assists by Colton Schell and Max Mois.
The game was tied again going into the third period but the Leafs took the lead when James Sorey shot the puck passed Bass.
Minutes later KIJHL top scorer and Leafs vet Patrick Martens scored his first goal of the night giving the Leafs a two goal lead.
But momentum shifted towards the Steam with a shorthanded goal by Colin Minardi.
The Steam went on to score three more goals leading to their win.
Stoddart said that even though he was in the stands for the last face-off between the Steam and the Leafs a week ago, he noticed a difference in the way the Leafs played.
“We were moving the puck really well and we were getting the shots and lots of the shots were going in and the goalie just couldn’t get to it,” he said.
The Leafs defeated the Steam 9-2 on October 14.
The game on Sunday was much different than the one played on Saturday night against the Columbia Valley Rockies.
“Our team played really well against the Rockies,” said Stoddart. “We were moving the puck really well and when we’re moving it well we open up lanes and we get really good opportunities to score.”
The Leafs are headed back on the road and will face the Creston Valley Thunder Cats on Friday night in Creston.
“We’re in it together. We just have to keep on resting and eating well. We’re not to bad out on the road. We get the job done usually,” said Stoddart. “Creston can put up a hard team and they’re doing decent right now. If we do well we’ll be okay.”
Even though Stoddart is confident that the Leafs will play well on the road, he said there is no place like home.
“It’s always better to play at home. The smiles on the guys faces when we’re winning, it’s a lot better,” he said.