The Port Alberni Bombers dropped a 3-1 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) decision to Nanaimo Buccaneers on Thursday night at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
The loss is the third straight for the Bombers whose last victory was a 6-5 decision over the Buccaneers just under two weeks ago in Port Alberni.
Quick starts in the first two periods enabled the Buccaneers to record the victory – Rhys Wilcox scoring just over three minutes into the contest to take a 1-0 lead, and then Porter Williamson making the score 2-0 just over one minute into the second frame.
The Bombers McCall Nault cut the lead in half, scoring on the power play at 7:53, but Nate Barclay restored the Buccaneer lead with a power play goal of his own and Nanaimo led 3-1 after forty minutes.
The third period was scoreless as the Bombers outshot the Buccaneers 15-4 in the final twenty minutes, but they couldn’t penetrate the goal tending of Nanaimo backstop Aaron Pichette.
The Bombers outshot the Buccaneers 28-24 on the evening, going 1-for-5 on the power play. The hosts were 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Nault was awarded third star honours for his efforts while the Bucs Dylan Lazaroff and Barclay picked up second and first star honours respectively.
The win moved the Buccaneers into first place in the VIJHL’s North Division, one point ahead of both Oceanside and Campbell River. The Bombers remain in fourth place in the division, four points behind the Buccaneers.
The Bombers return to action on Saturday night when they travel to Parksville to face the Oceanside Generals. They return home on Friday, November 7 when they host Kerry Park Islanders at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. The next night they host Campbell River Storm. Both games are scheduled for a 7:00 pm start.
