It was a perfect weekend for the Nelson Leafs.
The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League squad defeated the Summerland Steam 7-4 Sunday night to complete an unbeaten road trip.
The Leafs won three games in three nights to improve its league-leading record to 13-0-1-1.
The Leafs beat the Okanagan 5-1, Kelowna 5-1 and finally Summerland 7-4 to improve its league-leading record to 13-0-1-1.
Head coach Frank Maida said his squad is pleased with the results, but added there is always more work to be done.
“The team is really focused on playing and getting better on a game-to-game basis,” said Maida.
The Leafs are on a huge roll having put together a streak of 15 games without a regulation loss.
During the streak, both the offence and defence have been clicking. But Maida said there is no complacency in this team.
“We are always working on being solid defensively and supporting each other in our zone.”
New goaltender Brad Rebagliati had two starts in net over the weekend and has already made an impact on the local squad.
“Brad has just joined us... He played very well for us. He had a good weekend.”
This year’s Leafs squad is a nice mix of veteran players and talented youngsters, making this season and the future look bright.
This weekend, the Leafs look to continue the undefeated streak when they play a pair of games.
The locals will travel to Spokane on Friday for a tilt with the Spokane Braves. The next night, they are back home to host the Osoyoos Coyotes at the Nelson and District Community Complex.
The puck drops at 7 p.m.
Weekend roundup:
Sunday, October 27
Nelson 7 Summerland 4
Travis Wellman got Nelson off to a fast start, scoring in the opening seven minutes of the first. Two-and-a-half minutes later, Brandon Sookro made it 2-0 for the local squad.
Summerland fought back, putting the puck past Leafs goaltender Brad Rebagliati to cut the lead in half, but Jamie Vlanich restored Nelson’s two goal cushion before the end of the first.
After that, the Leafs took over the game.
Second period goals by Vlanich and Tyler Garcia increased the Leafs lead to 5-1 midway through the game and the locals then coasted to the victory.
Other Nelson goals were scored by Nolan Percival and Darnel St. Pierre.
Rebagliati stopped 30 of the 34 shots faced.
Saturday, October 26
Nelson 5 Kelowna 1
Cole Arcuri opened the scoring for Nelson four minutes into the first. Kelowna tied it in the last minute of the period. There was no scoring in the second.
In the third, Travis Wellman scored to make it 2-1. Carson Willans, Tyler Garcia, and Alec Wilkinson also notched goals for Nelson, the latter two on the power play. Wilkinson added a couple of assists to finish the night with three points.
Jamie Vlanich also picked up a couple of assists.
Nelson out shot Kelowna 29-19. Brad Rebagliati earned the win.
Former Leaf Matthew Naka, traded last week to Kelowna, took a minor penalty but didn’t figure in the scoring in his first game against old teammates.
Friday, October 25
Nelson 5 Okanagan 1
While the home team opened the scoring in the first period, it was all Leafs in the final 40 minutes as the local boys popped in five straight unanswered goals.
Bryce Nielsen opened the scoring for the Leafs in the second period to tie the game at one.
The Leafs took the lead for good when Brandon Sookro bulged the twine.
Travis Wellman scored a shorthanded goal to close out the second period. Wellman added his second marker of the game midway through the third.
The final tally came off the stick of Leafs Darnel St. Pierre.
Tyler Moffatt was solid between the pipes for Nelson as he turned aside 30 of the 31 shots he faced. The win improves his record to a league best 9-1.