The Nanaimo Buccaneers are right there among the league’s best teams after the first segment of the season.
The city’s Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League club won two more games last week to finish September with a 7-1-0-1 record.
The Bucs got past the Saanich Braves by a 3-1 score on Thursday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre, then outscored the Kerry Park Islanders 7-5 on the road two nights later.
Buccaneers coach Derek Bachynski saw great things from his team at times, but would still like to see more consistency. Sometimes Nanaimo has been able to win games with just a 40-minute effort, and the coach said players know that.
“They all agree. We’re all on the same page here. It’s a process and we’ve just got to continue on with the process…” Bachynski said. “Every day we’re coming to the rink and we’re working on something.”
He’s pleased with the team’s record through September, but the Bucs won’t sit back and admire the standings.
“If we’re overconfident then we’re going to lose track of what it takes and the little things we need to do to keep improving,” he said.
In the win over the Braves, Nolan Richardson, Chad Bell and Will McNamara scored and Greg Maggio made 21 saves.
Against the Isles, McNamara scored a hat trick, Bell tallied twice and Carter Turnbull and Liam Craig were Nanaimo’s other scorers. Maggio made 30 saves.
GAME ON … The Bucs host the Westshore Wolves on Thursday (Oct. 2) at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
