The Nanaimo Buccaneers took care of home ice advantage again in Game 2 and have a two-games-to-none lead in their first-round series against the Oceanside Generals.
The game was 0-0 after one period and 1-1 after two before Clayton Peace scored a go-ahead goal five minutes into the third. Cam Nickerson scored his second of the game with just over five minutes to go in the third and that was enough.
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Nickerson said his team understands what it’s going to take to continue to win against Oceanside.
“It’s going to show in this series that we’re the faster team and the bigger team, so as long as we keep that energy up, I think we’ll be fine,” he said.
VIDEO: Buccaneers score late to beat Generals in Game 1
Curtis Toneff, Buccaneers coach, liked the way his team started and finished the game, but there were some times in between, when the game was close, where things got a little scrambly.
“When the game’s intense and the game’s tight, we’ve still got to make hockey plays,” the coach said. “Putting pucks to the net and pucks to the tough areas and stingy D is what it’s going to take to win.”
Nickerson said winning both home games to start the best-of-seven is “huge” as the series now moves to Parksville. He said on the road, the Bucs will need to “play the same game if not harder. Because it’s their rink, they’re going to have the home-ice advantage. So just skate harder and finish checks and I think we’ll be fine there, too.”
Trent Bell scored Nanaimo’s fourth goal into an empty net and Derek Krall was the winning goalie as shots were 28-26 for the Buccaneers.
Elijah Goyer and Kyle Boshier scored for the Generals with Jacob Sweet suffering the loss.
GAME ON … Game 3 is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Oceanside Place in Parksville and Game 4 is Monday, also 7 p.m. at Oceanside Place.
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