After being held to one goal on Friday, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks exploded for a dozen markers on Saturday in a 12-3 shellacking of the Grand Forks Border Bruins at the Beaver Valley Arena.
The Nitehawks fell 2-1 to the Spokane Braves in Spokane on Friday night, but bounced back Saturday on the strength of a four-goal outburst from Hawks forward Tyler Hartman to defeat the Border Bruins.
The Hawks scored four times in each period with Hartman netting three of his four goals in the first period to give B.V. a 4-1 lead. Reid Anderson had his biggest night of the year, counting five points on the strength of a goal and four assists. Devin Nemes and Mitch Foyle each scored twice while McKoy Hauk had a goal and two assists, and Jacob Boyczuk pitched in with a goal and an assist. Sam Swanson and Spencer McLean each had three helpers as the NItehawks dominated the game outshooting the Border Bruins by an incredible 71 to 27.
Mitch Pearson, Josh Gladman, and Matt Lucero replied for the Bruins, who sit in last place in the Neil Murdoch division with a 7-28-1-3 record, while B.V. won its 25th game of the season and lead the Nelson Leafs by five points for top spot in the division.
The trade deadline for the KIJHL on Saturday saw the Nitehawks maintain the status quo without making a deal. Forward Jace Weegar remains uncertain due to injury, but coach and GM Terry Jones is hopeful the Grande Prairie native will be back in the line up before playoffs.
“We have stood pat,” said Nitehawk coach and GM Terry Jones in an email. “We have only taken Jace Weegar off of card in case his injury follow up on Tuesday requires surgery . . . but we expect him back.”
On Friday, the Nitehawks led 1-0 heading into the third on a goal from Nemes, but two power play goals by Tanner Stolz and Sean Collins in the final frame would give the Braves the 2-1 victory. The Nitehawks outshot the Braves 51-42 but were stymied by Spokane goalie Trevor Delauro.
The Braves remained hot, going into Nelson on Saturday and defeating the Leafs 5-2 at the Nelson Civic Complex.
The win puts the Braves four points behind both Nelson and Castlegar which are tied for second in the Neil Murdoch division with 50 points, while B.V. leads the division with 55.
B.V. has a home-and-home with Grand Forks next weekend hosting the Border Bruins on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Hawks Nest.
