The Bombers drew first blood just over a half a minute in, as Jaydon Merritt his team leading 19th of the season off an Evan Vasarhely set up. The Bombers doubled their lead on a scramble 8:33 in, as Grayson Erickson potted a loose puck on the power play, again from Evan Vasarhely. Sean Pander got the Predators on the board at the midway mark of the period, before Andrew Braun tied it at 2-2 with five minutes and change to play in the period.
The Bombers took the lead back before the second was two minutes old, as Jaydon Merritt scored his second of the game on a 3 on 1 rush, with Evan Vasarhely picking up his third assist of the game. Arjun Raman pulled the Predators back to even past the midway point of the period. The Bombers would score back-to-back on a major penalty to the Predators to go up 5-3, as Jackson Payeur scored on a point shot to make it 4-3, from Jaydon Merritt at 13:33. Less than a minute later Nathan MacDonald deflected in a Jackson Payeur shot from the line.
Saanich made it 5-4 on Andrew Braun’s second of the game just 16 seconds into the third with Kieran Smith assisting. That’s as close as the comeback came, as the Bombers made the lead stand to the final buzzer to secure two big points in the standings.
The Predators out shot the Bombers 40-27 with Keelan Hondro earning the win in net. The Bombers went 3 for 5 on the power play, and a perfect 4 for 4 on the penalty kill.
Next up for the Bombers, two games on the road next weekend
Bombers top Predators 5-4 in Saanich
