Beaver Valley Nitehawks Take Gold over Campbell River

The Cyclone Taylor Cup’s Gold Medal was a showdown between the KIJHL’s Beaver Valley Nitehawks and the VIJHL’s Campbell River Storm.

The Storm’s affiliate player Pearce Messer opened the scoring 28 seconds into the game. The Nitehawks Dylan Heppler responded to tie the game at one. However, the Storm had an excellent pushback to restore their one goal lead as Carter Hikichi scored his third goal of the tournament, while shorthanded.

The Nitehawks then finished the second half of the first period strong. Heppler scored his second of the game to tie it, and then Blake Sidoni gave the Nitehawks their first lead.

With the 3-2 lead at the start of the second period, the Nitehawks kept looking forward and held the Storm back. Karsten Jang and Bradley Ross would add to the ‘Hawks lead, giving them a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes.

The Storm struggled to get the puck past Nitehawks Tallon Kramer in the third, who made 26 saves in the game. Nolan Percival would add an empty net goal for the ‘Hawks in the third period to make the final score 6-2 as the Nitehawks to captured the gold medal, and the Cyclone Taylor Cup.

Chris Smith and Chase Anderson shared goaltending duties for the Storm, stopping 28 shots.

The Beaver Valley Nitehawks now advance to the Keystone Cup in Arborg, Manitoba. The Nitehawks won the Keystone Cup in 2014. The Cyclone Taylor Cup winners have won the past five Keystone Cup tournaments, and seven of the past 10.