Ryan Cooper scored in overtime as the Nelson Leafs beat the Grand Forks Border Bruins 3-2 on Friday to clinch first place in the Neil Murdoch Division.
Sawyer Hunt stretched his point streak to 13 games with a goal, and AP callup Marty Ingram scored his first KIJHL goal for the Leafs (33-8-3). Josh Williams meanwhile stopped 28 shots for team’s sixth straight win.
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Riley Smoler scored twice for the Border Bruins (14-27-4), with Quinn Yeager keeping them in the game with a 40-save performance.
The win means Nelson will be on home ice when it opens the playoffs Feb. 23 against either Grand Forks or the Spokane Braves.
Nelson’s final regular season home game is Saturday against the Castlegar Rebels. The Leafs finish the campaign next weekend with road games in Castlegar and against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
