In what could best be termed a “four-point” game, the Port Alberni Bombers fell 5-3 to Campbell River Storm in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) play on Sunday in Campbell River.
A Bomber win, and they move to five points behind the Storm in the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot in the VIJHL’s North Division. A loss, and the Storm take a nine-point lead over the Bombers, which is now the case. Both teams have twelve games left in their regular seasons.
The result was actually closer than the score would indicate. The Storm took a 2-0 first period lead, but the Bombers evened things when Chase Pouchnik scored a power play goal in the first period and Kash Nicklin scored early in the second frame to make it 2-2.
The Storm went ahead by two goals again to end the second frame at 4-2, but Makhi Wandler scored early in the third stanza to make it 4-3, which is where things stood until Jack Smith scored into an empty net with one second remaining to give the Storm the two-goal cushion.
Noah Spencer, Tom Marguet, Thomas Curri and Elliot Turgeon were the other goal scorers for Campbell River. Quinn Bouchard had two assists, while Joel Dorn, Garrison Peck and Malik Oliva had one assist each for the Bombers.
Bouchard picked up second-star accolades for his play, while Joe Naccarato had another exemplary game in the Bomber goal, stopping 43 of 47 shots.
The Bombers now take a break from regular season play as players from the British Columbia Hockey League and the VIJHL attend All-Star Weekend in Spruce Grove, Alberta on January 16 and 17. McCall Nault, Kash Nicklin, Malik Oliva, Makhi Wandler, Ethan Unger and Joel Dorn will represent the Bombers in Spruce Grove.
The Bombers return to regular season play on Friday, January 23 when they travel to Saanich to meet the Predators, before returning home on Sunday, January 25 to face Lake Cowichan Kraken at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Game time for Sunday’s contest is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
Bombers Fall to Storm in Close Encounter
