The Port Alberni Bombers showed considerable character and resilience in winning their second straight VIJHL contest Sunday night in Nanaimo, 6-3 over the Buccaneers.
The Bombers were playing their third game in as many days, and were playing with a short bench due to a quartet of suspensions from Saturday’s dust-up in Comox. They fell into a 1-0 hole early in the first to trail by that 1-0 score after 20 minutes. Justin Osborne scored the equalizer six minutes into the second, with Gavin Mastrodonato assisting. Less than two minutes later, the Buccaneers took the lead back, but the Bombers answered quickly with Taylor Madsen finding the net on the power play off a Mason Cannon set up. Blake Power gave the Bombers their first lead of the game with three minutes to play in the period with Nathan MacDonald drawing the lone assist. Nathan MacDonald would double the Bombers lead to 4-2 after two when he scored with just 12 seconds to play in the period off a Jaydon Merritt set up.
Sam Davidson further padded the lead at the midway point of the third to make it 5-2, with Mason Cannon and Grayson Erickson drawing the helpers. The Buccaneers made it a 5-3 game with under four to play, but Justin Osborne’s second of the game into an empty net with 1:02 to play concluded the scoring, making it a 6-3 final.
Shots were 36-27 Bombers, with Keelan Hondro earning the win in net.
The Bombers went 1 for 5 on the power play while the Buccaneers went 0 for 2.
The Bombers next see action Wednesday night at the Bomber Base, when they host the Oceanside Generals.