The Port Alberni Bombers suffered their first loss of the young Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) regular season, dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to Campbell River Storm on Friday night in Campbell River.
After the teams traded singe goals in each of the first two periods – the Storm’s Ethan Hill giving the home team a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes, and the Bombers Ivan Ponomarev tying the contest at 1-1 after forty minutes, both teams scored once each in the third frame. In the third, Ryan Christenson scored his first of the season giving the Bombers a 2-1 lead before Mingi Jang potted his first of the campaign for the Storm to tie the contest at 2-2 with just over five minutes remaining in regulation time, sending the game to overtime.
The winning goal came at 2:30 of extra time, Aidan Yu scoring his second of the season, to send most of the crowd of 918 in attendance at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena home happy.
Both goaltenders played well – the Bombers Xavier Hahn stopping 38 of 41 shots he faced, and Mason Hillier stopping 32 of 34 shots, including a penalty shot, in the Storm goal. Darius Kanalan, Joel Dorn and Kolten Brown picked up assists for the Bombers.
Neither team scored on the power play – the Bombers going 0-for-3 with the man advantage, the Storm 0-for-2.
In other games in the VIJHL on Friday night, Saanich Predators defeated Kerry Park Islanders 5-0, Nanaimo Buccaneers upended Oceanside Generals 6-2 and Comox Valley Glacier Kings dumped Peninsula Panthers 7-1.
The Bombers return to action on Sunday in Nanaimo when they face the Buccaneers in a 3:15 pm start at the Nanaimo Ice Centre. Next Friday will see the Bombers open their 2026-27 home schedule when they host Oceanside Generals at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Opening face-off is set for 7:00 pm.
Bombers Lose in Overtime
