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Bucs weather Storm, defeat league’s elite club 5-3

Nov 17, 2016 | 10:34 PM

NANAIMO — The Nanaimo Buccaneers upset the first-place Campbell River Storm 5-3 in a wild game at the Nanaimo Ice Centre on Thursday night.

The Buccaneers (13-11) got spectacular goaltending from John Hawthorne and three goals from Trent Bell to lead the surging Bucs over the Storm (18-5).

A frustrated Trent Bell took a foolish cross-checking penalty late in the second period while the Storm were dominating the hosts. A pair of Campbell River goals vaulted the visitors to a 3-2 lead earlier in the period.

Cue the Trent Bell show.

Bell tucked home a breakaway goal once his penalty expired, then lit the lamp again 1:21 later to give the Bucs a 4-3 edge heading into the third period.

“I knew I had to do something or I wouldn’t be playing much the rest of the game,” said Bell with a grin.

Trent Bell rounded out the scoring mid-way through the third period.

“He’s a guy that can break games open for us and he did a great job of doing it tonight,” said Buccaneers head coach Dan Lemmon of Bell. “I think he knew he was in a little bit of hot water there…maybe that was just what he needed to put the puck in the back of the net.”

Cam Nickerson and Chad Bell also scored for the Bucs, who are on an 8-2 run in their last 10 games. Chad Bell added two assists as both Bell’s produced three point efforts.

John Hawhorne was steady once again in goal for Nanaimo, turning aside 35 shots, including making 18 saves in a busy second period. The Buccaneers locked down their game defensively in a well played final period for the hosts, who allowed very few high-end scoring chances. Coach Lemmon says the third period was one of their best of the entire season.

The Buccaneers were 3-for-3 on the powerplay, while the lethal Storm man advantage went 0-for-5.

“We gotta beat them in Campbell River,” said coach Lemmon. “That’s something that we haven’t been able to do. It’s something that we’re going have to do to win in the playoffs.”

Thursday night’s victory is the first time Nanaimo has beaten the Storm this season in four previous meetings. The Bucs have lost by scores of 4-2 and 4-0 in Campbell River. The two teams meet up again on Friday, Dec. 9 in Campbell River.

“We’re finding ways to win games, whether we’re coming from behind, whether we’re playing good defensively…Johnny’s (John Hawthorne) won a couple games for us, and sometimes we’ll score seven or eight goals in a game,” said Trent Bell. “That’s how you have to win because it’s not going to be easy every day.”

The Storm players were forced to run in their gear through the Ice Centre bleachers and concourse area following the game. The grueling run was followed by a lengthy team meeting in the stands, led by a visibly upset head coach Lee Stone.

The Buccaneers have a rare weekend off before returning to action Thursday, Nov. 24 in Esquimalt versus the Victoria Cougars. The Bucs then host the Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7:15.