The Port Alberni Bombers, playing on home ice for the first time in the 2025-26 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) season, dropped a 4-1 decision to Nanaimo Buccaneers on Saturday night at the Alberni Valley Multiplex.
The Bombers took the early lead in the contest when Joel Dorn scored his second goal of the campaign on a breakaway, after being sent in alone by Kaydin Halladay.
The 1-0 lead was short-lived however as the Buccaneers came back less than two minutes later when Ethan Nordli scored on the power play to tie the contest. That was all the scoring in the first frame as the teams went to the dressing rooms even at 1-1.
The Buccaneers took the lead early in the second stanza when former Bomber Kai Verbrugge scored from close in, converting a Reese Wilcox pass from the corner and depositing the puck high over the right shoulder of Bomber net minder Ryan Burroughs just forty seconds into the frame.
Jaxin Karst gave Nanaimo a 3-1 lead late in the period, and then Ryan Christenson scored an empty-netter with 32 seconds left in the third frame to complete the scoring.
The Buccaneers outshot the Bombers 29-26 on the evening. Both teams spent considerable time in the penalty box, Nanaimo accruing 48 minutes in penalties, including two 10-minute misconducts, while the Bombers took nine minor penalties.
The result improves the Buccaneer record to three wins in three games, good for six points and first place in the VIJHL North Division. The Bombers dropped to one win and three losses and fifth place in the six-team North Division.
The announced attendance for the game was 850 fans, the largest VIJHL crowd of the season.
The Bombers return to the Multiplex on Friday night when they host the Kerry Park Islanders in a 7:00 pm start. The locals will then travel to Esquimalt’s Archie Browning Arena on Sunday afternoon for a tilt with Victoria Cougars.
Bombers Lose to Top-Ranked Buccaneers
