The Beaver Valley Nitehawks earned three-of-four points this weekend thanks to a solid defensive effort in a 3-1 victory over the Castlegar Rebels.
The Nitehawks fell 4-3 in overtime to the Eddie Mountain Division’s potential powerhouse, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, on Friday, but rallied for the victory over the Rebels Saturday.
Nitehawks 18-year-old forward, Angus Amadio, netted the winner with 2:35 left in the opening frame. The Calgary native’s first goal as a Nitehawk made it 2-0 on a setup from Evan Gorman and Christian Macasso that punctuated a dominating period by B.V.
With the win, the Nitehawks move into third place with a 3-2-0-1 record, two points behind 4-1-1-0 Nelson, and three points back of first place Grand Forks Border Bruins at 5-2-0-0.
The Hawks came out flying in the first period, as Castlegar native Aiden Jenner notched his second of the season on a pretty play from Jaxen Gemmell and Dylan Heppler midway through the opening stanza. The home team outshot the Rebels 12-4 in the period and stymied the Castlegar offence throughout the match.
The Rebels had more looks in the second period firing nine shots at the B.V. net, but Fruitvale native Aiden Browell’s fifth goal of the season at 10:45 gave the Nitehawks a 3-0 cushion.
Castlegar’s Chris Breese broke in for a shorthanded marker to spoil the shutout bid of B.V. goalie Owen Sikkes with just over four minutes remaining.
The Nitehawks held a 27-19 edge in shots, and went 0-for-6 on the power play while Castlegar was 0-for-4. Jenner was the Nitehawks’ player of the game, while Everett Hicks earned the honour for the Rebels.
On Friday, the Nitehawks stormed back from a 3-1 deficit on two power-play goals from Browell to force the extra frame. However, 2:46 into the 4-on-4 first overtime the Cats’ Conor Monaghan beat Sikkes to give Creston the extra point.
Jenner scored the other Nitehawks goal, with B.V. defenceman Connor Seib pitching in with two assists. Ronnie Wilkie, Carson Small, and Liam Plunkett scored for Creston. Beaver Valley outshot the Thunder Cats 29-28 and went 2-for-6 on the power play, the Cats were 0-for-5.
The Nitehawks travel to Fernie to face the Ghostriders on Friday and return to the Hawks’ Nest for a tilt against division leader Grand Forks on Saturday with the puck drop at 7:30 p.m.