The Nanaimo Buccaneers scored a blowout win and an upset win.
The Bucs hammered the Oceanside Generals 7-0 on Thursday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre, then followed up the next night with a 4-1 road win over the defending-champion Campbell River Storm.
The lopsided victory over the Gens represented a turnaround after the two neighbouring teams tied 3-3 less than a week earlier in Parksville.
“I thought we had a great game,” said Dan Lemmon, Buccaneers coach, after the blowout. “It started in our own zone, limiting a team like that to 14 shtos when we gave up 45 or 50 shots last game against them. We added a couple bodies to the lineup and I think we played with a lot more confidence.”
The coach said the defencemen were moving pucks up so that the Bucs weren’t caught playing in their own end for long stretches. He also saw more team play and less individual play.
“I thought we played excellent today, start to finish,” said Trent Bell, Bucs forward, after Thursday’s game. “We were doing the little things right – we were getting pucks in deep, we weren’t letting them get pucks deep, everyone was skating hard, everyone was finishing their checks.”
He had a goal and two assists in the game, Jordan Levesque had two goals and Will Koop, Jayden Schubert, Billy Walters and Jesse Strangward were the other scorers. Alex Orth made 14 saves for the shutout.
The next night, Orth made 41 saves, Nick Gomerich scored a pair of goals and Conner Mowatt and Koop also tallied. Shots were 42-24 in favour of the home team.
GAME ON … The Bucs host the Westshore Wolves on Thursday (Sept. 24) at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC, then visit the Peninsula Panthers the next night.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
