Playing in their fourth consecutive overtime game, Port Alberni Bombers defeated Victoria Cougars 3-2 on Saturday night in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League play at the Alberni Valley Multiplex, giving the locals three wins in those four contests.
Never trailing, the Bombers couldn’t shake the Cougars in a contest that was as close as the final score would indicate.
After a scoreless first period, the Bombers tallied the only goal of the second frame when Sean Richards scored a power play goal just past the halfway mark of regulation time, giving the Bombers a lead that they would carry into the third period.
In the third period the Cougars tied the contest on a goal by Cole Patterson at the 11 minute mark, but the Bombers went ahead two minutes when Kai Verbrugge scored his seventh of the season. The lead was short-lived as the Cougars scored less than four minutes later as Jussi Saarni connected on the power play to tie the contest again, sending the teams to overtime.
In overtime the Bombers scored at the 1:32 mark to clinch the victory when Leim Smith scored his 11th of the campaign from a goal mouth scramble to send the Bomber faithful home happy.
Smith also added an assist on the evening, as did Jack Barrett and Kash Nicklin.
Tom Forrest was the winning goaltender stopping 33 of 35 shots and picking up second star honours. Verbrugge was named the game’s first star for his efforts.
The Bombers play only once next week, on Saturday when they host Lake Cowichan Kraken at the Alberni Valley Multiplex in a 7:00 pm start. The Kraken will be led into town by their coach Rich Chernomaz. The former Alberni Valley Minor Hockey product has returned to coaching on the Island after a long professional career playing and coaching in North America and Europe. The Bombers have won all three previous meetings with the Kraken this season.
Bombers Over Cougars in Overtime, yet Again
