The Nelson Leafs enter the new year on a winning streak after sweeping three road games.
Nelson won its two games at the KIJHL College Showcase in Kamloops against the host Storm and the Princeton Posse before capping 2018 with a win against the Grizzlies in Revelstoke.
Against the Storm, Jack Karran scored a power-play goal 51 seconds into overtime to lift the Leafs past the Storm 5-4 on Dec. 27. His goal became necessary after Kamloops forward Therann Kincross forced extra time by scoring with just four seconds left in regulation.
Logan Wullum, Nicholas Onofrychuk, Reid Wilson and Tyler Nypower also scored for the Leafs (22-9-1), while Hunter Young finished with a 43-save performance.
Kincross got a hat trick for the Storm (11-17-2), while James Lalikeas also scored and goaltender Ethan Paulin-Hatch stopped 26 shots.
Karran also scored the decisive goal one day later in a 2-1 win over the Posse.
Joshua Stypka added a single for the Leafs, while goaltender Caiden Kreitz made his return from injury to stop 29 shots.
Jaysen MacLean turned aside 32 shots in net for Princeton (11-20-3), with Justin Fodchuk scoring his team’s lone goal.
Keenan Crossman scored twice for Nelson on Monday as the Leafs completed their trip with a 5-2 win over Revelstoke.
Easton Jolie, David Sanchez and Stypka each had singles for the Leafs, who scored five unanswered goals after trailing 2-0 in the first intermission. Kreitz meanwhile had 27 saves.
Carter Anderson and Dalton Irvine each scored for the Grizzlies (26-4-0), with Liam McGarva allowing all five goals on 27 shots.
The Leafs’ victories leave them seven points clear of the Beaver Valley Nitehawks atop the Neil Murdoch Division. Nelson next hosts the Nitehawks on Friday.
