Despite doubling up on the Grand Forks Border Bruins in shots on net, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks couldn’t hold off a determined Bruins squad as they came back from a 2-0 deficit to score three straight third-period goals for a 3-2 victory on Saturday night at the Hawks Nest.
Chad Grambo netted his fifth of the season with 12:27 to play in the final frame to complete the comeback for the 8-11-0-2 Border Bruins. It was the Bruins second win in as many games. After a 4-1 triumph over the Princeton Posse Friday the victory over the Hawks equaled their win total from last season. Grand Forks currently sits in fourth place in the Neil Murdoch division with 18 points, while the 14-4-1-0 Hawks still cling to top spot with 29 points, after the Castlegar Rebels dropped a pair of games to the Summerland Steam and Osoyoos Coyotes on the weekend.
Following a scoreless first period, the Nitehawks outshot Grand Forks 19-1 in the middle frame and took a 2-0 lead on goals from Coleton Dawson and Tyler Ghiradosi.
But Bruins goalie Anthony Galliart stood tall the rest of the way. Bryson Yee got the Bruins on the board at 18:13 taking a pass from Trey Mason and beating goalie Jason Mailhiot to cut the lead to 2-1. Garrett Brosebois tied it up just over two minutes later on a power play goal, with assists to Logan Hascarl and Ryland Smaha-Muir to set up Grambo’s heroics.
The shots were even in the third, 10-10, but overall the Hawks held a 37-19 edge with Galliart earning the game’s star for the Border Bruins, and Ghiradosi the game star for his goal and assist for the Hawks.
In Spokane on Friday, it was the Nitehawks that stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Braves in overtime 3-2.
Jace Weegar netted the winning goal 30 seconds into a power play after Braves forward Paxton Malone was sent off for holding at the four minute mark. Michael Pruss and McKoy Hauk each assisted on the play.
Malone scored his fifth of the season, beating Hawks goalie Billy Gorn to put the Braves up 1-0 four minutes into the opening frame, as the Braves outshot the Hawks 11-8. A scoreless second period would lead to an exciting third as Connor McIntosh finished a pretty set up from Lance Noomen at 17:06, before B.V. mounted their comeback. Allan Pruss scored a power play goal at 13:24 converting a pass from Tyler Hartman to cut the lead to one. Then with time winding down and B.V. on a power play after Austin Breen took a roughing penalty with 54 seconds on the clock, the Hawks worked the puck low and Weegar sent a pass to Kyle Hope who finally banged in the tying goal with no time left on the clock.
The Braves outshot the Hawks 38-37. Weegar’s two-point night earned him player of the game nod, while Mason Jones took the home star for Spokane.
The Nitehawks next game goes on Tuesday when they host the Grand Forks Border Bruins at 7 p.m.