Three first-period goals in less than three minutes sent the Nanaimo Buccaneers on their way to a 4-2 win over the Comox Valley Glacier Kings, Tuesday night in Nanaimo.
The Yetis fought back to cut the lead to 3-2 with four minutes to go in the third, but the Bucs sealed the deal with an empty netter to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven first round Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoff series.
Nanaimo opened the scoring at 4:50 of the first courtesy of first star Nick Gomerich. Nolan Richardson made it 2-0 at 5:44 then second star Hobin Zinck’s power-play goal at 7:10 put the home team up by three.
Sheldon Brett got the G-Kings on the board at 8:50 of the third and Ronnie Wilkie made things interesting when he lit the lamp at 15:49 to cut the lead to one. The Icemen pulled goalie Marcus Gloss but to no avail as Jake Calverley zipped the disc into the empty net at 19:22 to clinch the win.
Nanaimo out-shot the Comox Valley 39-23, with Yetis’ goalie Gloss earning third star honours.
The series resumes tonight (Feb. 25) in Nanaimo. The G-Kings host Game 3 on Saturday, Feb. 27 and (7:30 p.m. Sports Centre Arena #1) and Game 4 on Tuesday, March 1 (7 p.m. SC1).
Other games, if needed, go March 3 in Nanaimo, March 5 in Courtenay and March 6 in Nanaimo.
