Jamie Vlanich scored three goals and added one assist to lead the Nelson Leafs to a 7-2 road victory over the Golden Rockets on Saturday night. It was the second win in a row for the Nelson squad.
Carson Willans also had a strong game, adding four assists for the Leafs.
Vlanich opened the scoring for the local squad at the midway point of the first period. Linden Horswill also found the back of the net to increase the lead to 2-0 for the visitors.
But Golden narrowed the gap to one before the end of the period as Jacob Coelho beat Leafs’ goalie Adam Maida.
The second period was all Leafs as the Nelson squad chased Rockets netminder Brian Parsons from the nets by scoring four times in the period.
Linden Horswill, Darnel St.Pierre, Vlanich, and Adam Hodge scored in the period.
The Rockets got one back in the third when Michael Anderson bulged the twine but, fittingly, Vlanich, who opened the scoring, also ended it when he beat Rockets backup Adam Johnson.
Maida was strong in the nets for the Leafs, stopping 37 of 39 shots faced.
Nelson continues their four game road trip tonight when they play in Invemere against the Columbia Valley Rockies.
The following week the Leafs travel to Castlegar to play the Rebels on January 10.
The squad’s next home game is Saturday, January 11 at the NDCC when the Spokane Braves come to town.
The puck drops at 7 p.m.
