Nelson’s Bennett Anklewich scored the game winner for the Leafs in a 3-2 victory over the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Tuesday.
The Hawks visited Nelson in hopes of extending their four game winning streak, but the Leafs dominated on home ice, outshooting B.V. 44-15 to improve their record to 11-7-0-1.
The 12-7-0-1 Nitehawks hold a tenuous two point lead over Nelson at the top of the Neil Murdoch Division, although the Leafs have a game in hand.
Hawks forward Hayden Stocks opened the scoring at 7:12 of the first period with his 10th tally of the season with assists to Judah Makway and Ethan Jang.
The Leafs stormed back in the second with Joe Davidson tying it at one with a power play goal at 4:37 of the second period. Two minutes later Ryan Quast finished a pass from Reid Vulcano to put Nelson up 2-1.
Anklewich tallied his fifth of the campaign on another power play goal at 16:19 of the third for the game winner.
Cooper Ross drew the Hawks within one with 1:10 to play, but that was as close as B.V. would get, managing just six shots through the final two periods in the 3-2 loss.
Nitehawks goalie Owen Albers was stellar in net with 41 saves on the night, earning game star for B.V., while Anklewich got the nod for the Leafs.
Nelson went 2-for-7 on the power play, while Beaver Valley went 0-for-4.
Beaver Valley returns to the Hawks Nest to host the Golden Rockets on Friday, before heading to Grand Forks on Saturday for a game versus the winless Grand Forks Border Bruins. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
Read: Nitehawks soar with two weekend wins
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