Following a 1-0 loss on Saturday, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks found their scoring touch in Game 3 as they skated to a 7-0 shutout victory over the Nelson Leafs on Monday at the Hawks Nest.
After a tight-checking scoreless first period, Ryan Edwards would net the winner at 17:37 of the second period to give the Hawks a 2-1 series advantage. Leafs goaltender Patrick Zubick made a good pad save off a point-blank shot from Braden Fuller but lost sight of the rebound, and Edwards would back hand it into the open net to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
From that moment on it was all Hawks as they erupted for three more goals in the second period off the stick of Dallas Calvin, Fuller, and Edwards’ second goal of the period.
Hawks goalie Brett Clark stopped 24 shots on the night for the shut out, and was good early making 20 saves through the first two periods. But the Nitehawks would demoralize the Leafs in the third, scoring their fifth goal of the night on the power play just 34 seconds into the period when Archie McKinnon banged in a quick Edwards’ pass from behind the net to welcome Leafs AP goalie Jason Mailhiot who replaced Zubick. Keanan Patershuk would net his second of the playoffs at 10:48, and Calvin would add the safety off a Patershuk set up to round out the scoring.
Edwards also chipped in three assists for a five-point night, while Calvin scored twice and added two helpers, and Fuller had three points before being drawn into a fight with Rayce Miller at 3:25 of the middle frame.
The intensity continued into the third when Robson Cramer took a match penalty and game misconduct for spearing Hawks captain McKinnon. The Hawks however kept their cool and capitalized on 3-of-8 power-play opportunities while the Leafs went 0-for-5.
The Nitehawks play Game 4 tonight at 7 p.m. at the Beaver Valley Arena. The series will switch to Nelson on Thursday with the puck drop at 7 p.m. at the Nelson Community Complex.