Johnny Marzec’s power-play goal at 3:37 of the second period proved to be the winner as the Spokane Braves outlasted the Beaver Valley Nitehawks 3-2 in KIJHL action on Friday night.
Marzec’s tally would give the Braves a 3-1 lead despite almost complete dominance by the Nitehawks over the first two periods, where B.V. outshot Spokane 32-13 but trailed 3-1 heading into the third.
Tyler Wilkerson opened the scoring for Spokane when his long-distance icing shot bounced off the stanchion and into the Hawks empty goal, after goalie Drake Poirier went to play the puck behind the net.
Sean Collins would make it 2-0 Braves at the 9:10 mark, before the Nitehawks Spencer McLean cut the lead in half with his 15th goal of the season at 15:37 of the second period.
With Poirier on the bench for the extra attacker, Taylor Stafford would rip a Ross Armour pass by Braves goalie Trevor Dilauro for the Hawks with 35 seconds left in regulation. But it was as close as B.V. would get outshooting the Braves 46-20, and going 0-for-2 on the power play while Spokane scored twice on three opportunities.
Beaver Valley’s next game goes Tuesday night at the Beaver Valley Arena when they host the Nelson Leafs at 7 p.m.