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Nelson Leafs overpowered Rebels in home-and-home series

The Nelson Leafs seem to have the Rebel's number winning Friday night's match up 9-6.
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The Nelson Leafs took down Castlegar Rebels Friday night 9-6 in the second of a home-and-home series that had the two matched up at the NDCC Friday evening.

The Nelson Leafs seem to have the Rebel's number.

After a 6-2 win in Castlegar on Thursday night, the Leafs beat the Rebels 6-9 at the NDCC Friday night.

The high scoring game meant four-point nights for Linden Horswill and Troy Petrich. Jamie Vlanich came away with three points and Nich Trefry did as well.

Horswill put it past the Rebel netminder less than two minutes into the game before a Nelson crowd of almost 500. Carson Willans assisted on the play.

The Rebels struck back about five minutes later. Mike Bhatoa scored from Jeremy McNeil and Darren Medeiros making it 1-1.

Petrich got the Leafs goahead goal on the power play just under seven minutes left with Horswill and Trefry assisting. But the first period would end in a 2-2 tie as Medeiros scored for the Rebels, Matt Reed and McNeil getting the helper.

The second period was where the Leafs increased their lead scoring twice for every goal the Rebels scored.

Robson Cramer scored from Vlanich just a minute in and then Travis Wellman bulged the twine barely a minute later with Vlanich in on the play again. It was 4-2.

The Rebels took advantage of the power play as Brett Leidl scored from Carson Wornig and Connor Beauchemin.

But the Leafs had power play success as well. Vlanich scored from Cramer and Wellman and then Petrich made it 6-3 from Horswill just halfway through the second.

The Rebels got one more making it 6-4 after 40 minutes as Kody Disher scored from Connor Beauchemin and Reed.

The Castlegar team came out strong in the third and capitalized on the ppwer play as Jeremy McNeil scored off Wornig and Brett Leidl. It brought the visiting team within one.

Then the Leafs scored three in a row: Petrich from Horswill and Willans and then immediately afterwards Trefry scored from Nolan Percival. Aaron Dunlap made it nine goals for the Leafs with 10:12 left in the game with Petrich and Trefry assisting.

The Rebels scored with the game ending. Hunter Jenerou put it past Leafs netminder Brad Rebagliati - Micke Bhatoa and Beauchemin assisting. It was a 6-9 final.

The Rebels played both goalies Patrick Zubick and Nate Rabbitt in a game that had the Rebels outshoot the Leafs 32-26.

The pair of wins take the Leafs into Christmas break sitting in second place in the KIJHL three points back of Kamloops storm with a game in hand.

The Leafs season resumes on Sunday, December 29 when they take on Beaver Valley Nitehawks. They play at home on New Year's Eve afternoon at 2:30 p.m.