The Beaver Valley Nitehawks are flying high over the KIJHL standings, extending their lead to 11 points over second place Kamloops Storm.
The Hawks kept the intensity dialed up on Sunday with a 5-2 win over Kimberley Dynamiters. After obliterating the Grand Forks Border Bruins 16-1 earlier in the week, there is always fear of a let down. But the team kept the pressure on with a 7-2 win over Spokane Friday followed up by the victory over the Dynamiters.
Kimberley started the scoring four minutes into the first but Beaver Valley’s Craig Martin added his league-leading 44th goal of the season on a power play at 2:54 of the first, before a second-period surge lifted the Hawks to a 4-1 lead.
Goals by Brantley Shapansky, Justin Niminiken, and Tyler Collins, put the team up for good going into the third. Kimberley would add one more on a power play but the Nitehawks’ Chris Johnson scored late in the third to put the game to bed.
The Hawks strong play continues unabated beating two opponents, the Braves and Dynamiters this weekend, with playoff implications.
If the season ended today, the Nitehawks would face the Braves in the first round of the playoffs, a team they’ve gone 7 and 0 against so far this campaign.
Kimberley is fighting it out with Fernie for top spot in the Eddie Mountain Division and could be a Kootenay Conference Championship opponent further down the road.
The Nitehawks have six games remaining, with five going against division rivals, Castlegar (2), Nelson (2) and Spokane (1).
The Hawks next home game goes Friday against the Rebels at 7:30 p.m.