The Nanaimo Buccaneers were held off in a first-place showdown weekend.
The city’s Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League team was defeated in back-to-back games by the North Division-leading Campbell River Storm. The Storm edged the Bucs 4-3 in overtime on Thursday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre, then won the next night’s rematch 5-1 up Island.
The Thursday game was a thriller, as Nanaimo needed two third-period goals from Nolan Richardson to force overtime. Former Bucs player Joe Gage scored the game-winning goal on a rebound against the run of play. The result spoiled a solid performance from Bucs goalie Alex Orth, who had stopped a breakaway earlier in the OT frame. Robert Mitchell also scored for Nanaimo in the game.
The next night it was Richardson with the Buccaneers’ only goal and Orth with 35 saves in defeat.
GAME ON … The Bucs play the Oceanside Generals on Thursday (Nov. 19) at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
