Bucs finding their stride, knock off talented Braves 3-1
NANAIMO — A statement victory for the Nanaimo Buccaneers (5-7) who knocked off the South Division leading Saanich Braves (8-5) 3-1 in a fast paced, entertaining VIJHL regular season contest at the Nanaimo Ice Centre on Thursday night.
The evenly played, high tempo affair with few whistles and penalties was scoreless until Chad Bell crashed the Braves crease to break a scoreless tie with five minutes remaining in regulation. Fellow 20-year-old veteran forward Nolan Richardson would then create his own turnover and bury a shorthanded breakaway goal to build up a 2-0 lead. Saanich’s Gavin Yee managed a powerplay tally which was quickly followed by Chad Bell’s empty netter to secure the win. The shorthanded goal by Richardson was Nanaimo’s 4th goal with a man down this season – good for first place in the VIJHL in that department.
“We line-matched well against them. Our third and fourth line matched up well against theirs and our top line matched up well against theirs,” said Bucs head coach and general manager Dan Lemmon.
Coach Lemmon called the effort his club’s most complete of the season. The Buccaneers held the league’s top scorer Nick Guerra pointless. He torched the Bucs for four goals in a convincing 6-3 win in Saanich last month.