Leafs score three in the third to outlast Grand Forks 5-3

By Nelson Daily Sports

The Grand Forks Border Bruins recently won its first Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game in two years on home ice.

The Nelson Leafs were looking to avoid being the Bruins second home-ice victim in as many games.

The Leafs shook off a couple of early defensive lapses to outscore the Bruins 5-1 en route to a 5-3 Neil Murdoch Division victory Thursday night in the Boundary City.

The win keeps Nelson in top spot in the Murdoch Division, four points in front of the idle Castlegar Rebels.

The two teams meet tonight in Nelson at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.

In a game that had "trap" written all over it, the Bruins surprised the Leafs with two first-period goals by Nelson Minor Hockey grad Colton Dawson and Chase Anchikoski.

The lead came despite the Leafs out shooting the Bruins 27-9 in the first frame.

However, a late goal by team captain Colton Schell cut the advantage in half before the period ended.

The teams exchanged second period goals.

Affilate player Brandon Sookro tied the game before Bruins' Connor Gross restored the one-goal advantage for the home side on the power play.

In the third Nelson finally solved Grand Forks netminder Robert Dunsmuir scoring three times to rally to victory.

Matt MacDonald and defenceman J.J. Beitel scored less than a minute apart to give Nelson a 4-3 lead.

Matthew Naka scored shorthanded late in the third to pad the lead.

The Leafs finished the contest out shooting the Bruins 61-27.

Adam Maida, a teammate of Sookro on the Kootenay Ice Major Midget squad, made 24 saves to register his first junior career victory in goal.

LEAF BANTER: The win kept Nelson undefeated against the Bruins this season. . . .After playing the first eight games with Beaver Valley, Colton Dawson has been a nice find for the Bruins, scoring three goals in 11 games for Grand Forks. Dawson played last season for the Nelson Midget Reps . . .After winning 11 straight, the Leafs have now won three in a row and have points in 15 consecutive games.