The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) regular season kicked off over the weekend and the Nelson Leafs are off to a hot start. The Leafs were able to get past the Castlegar Rebels and claw by the Osoyoos Coyotes.
On Friday, the Leafs won the first game of the season on the road in convincing fashion, beating the Rebels 10-3. Defenceman Ethan McLaughlin recorded a hat trick and also added an assist. Second-year Leafs goalie Tenzin Mint stopped 17 of 20 shots in the win.
The Leafs had their home opener on Saturday, hosting the Osoyoos Coyotes. The game went down to the wire as the Leafs were able to squeak out a narrow 4-3 victory in overtime. Simon Nemethy was the overtime hero, notching his first goal of the season. Mint picked up his second win of the season, getting the start in goal for both opening games.
Nelson will look to remain perfect this upcoming weekend when they welcome the winless Grand Forks Border Bruins to the NDCC on Friday. On Saturday, the Leafs will then travel to Osoyoos for a rematch with the Coyotes. You can watch all the games with a subscription to HockeyTV.