The Beaver Valley Nitehawks continue their torrid pace as they blasted the Penticton Lakers Friday then needed a final-frame comeback to beat rival Nelson Leafs on Sunday.
The Hawks have won five in a row since losing two straight to Castlegar and Creston three weeks ago and now sit in first place, four points up on Castlegar in the Neil Murdoch Division.
Beaver Valley defeated the Lakers 7-2 Friday on the strength of a four-point output from Dallas Calvin and three points from Tyler Collins. Since joining the Hawks, Calvin has contributed 12 goals and 23 assists in 17 games for 35 points. At over a two-point-per game pace, he is five points from exceeding last year’s total and is currently ninth in the league in scoring.
In Sunday’s game the Nitehawks battled back from a 3-1 first-period deficit to beat the Nelson Leafs 5-3. Max Flanagan scored the winner with five minutes remaining when he buried a centering pass from linemates Collins and Calvin, to take a 4-3 lead. League-leading scorer Ryan Edwards would seal the victory with an empty netter.
It was the second point of the night for Edwards, while Chris Derochie added a goal and an assist and was named the game’s first star. Rookie Craig Martin also pitched in with two points.
Mike Vlanich got the start in net and stopped 31 of 34 shots for the victory. The Nitehawks fired 37 shots at Nelson goalie Andrew Walton. The Leafs slip to third place in the division two points back of Castlegar and six behind Beaver Valley.