2.6°C Not observed 
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Four points and the Nelson Leafs clinch the franchise’s fourth consecutive Murdoch Division title.
Despite watching Castlegar Rebels take three of four points during last weekend’s home-and-home series, the Leafs remain in the driver’s seat to capture the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s divisional crown.
“We need to get the four points so we can worry less about what Castlegar’s doing,” Leaf coach and GM Simon Wheeldon told the Daily News before embarking on a two-game road trip to the Okanagan/Shuswap Division.
For Castlegar to overtake the Leafs in the Murdoch race, the Rebels need to win all six remaining games while Nelson must garner only three of eight points down the stretch.
First up for the Leafs is the Princeton Posse, 7-2-1 in its last ten games. One of those wins is a 3-1 road decision over Okanagan Conference leading Revelstoke Grizzlies.
Saturday, Nelson travels to Penticton to meet the struggling Lakers.
“There are no easy games in this league,” Wheeldon admits. “Princeton is one of those teams that is playing very well right now and beat Revelstoke last week.”
Wheeldon, upset at his special teams against Castlegar, spent most of practice this week trying work out the bugs.
“That’s one of my concerns,” he said. “Our power play has been a big issue. The kids certainly will play well because I know they want to win, and we’ve played well five-on-five, but our power play has let us down.”
Nelson failed to score in three different stints of five-on-three power play time against Castlegar.
The Leafs complete a three-game road trip next week in Fernie before concluding the season Saturday, February 13 against the Grand Forks Border Bruins.
The Bruins, winners of three games in 44 attempts, won twice this week, defeating Beaver Valley 7-4 Wednesday and Penticton Tuesday 4-3 in overtime.
LEAF NOTES: Nelson defenceman Jarrett Burke will see a specialist next week to determine the extend of his knee injury. . . . Forward Cody Abbey is listed as day to day. . . .Defenceman Brett McKinnon is in Quesnel for a two-game stint as an affiliate player with the Millionaires.
