By Ian Holmes

Islanders ride hot start to sink Buccaneers 5-4

Jan 27, 2017 | 7:25 AM

NANAIMO — Maybe it was just an off night, or maybe they took the Kerry Park Islanders lightly — either way, the Nanaimo Buccaneers six-game winning streak is over.

A resurgence in the game’s second-half wasn’t enough as the Bucs (25-14) dropped a 5-4 decision to the Islanders (16-22-1-1) Thursday night at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Nanaimo fell behind 4-0, then clawed all the way back to tie the game up in the third period, before allowing a late goal against the flow of play.

“You look at how many posts we hit, it could have been a different game,” said Bucs’ head coach Dan Lemmon. “Well played by Kerry Park, they came out in the first 20 and handed us our ass,” Lemmon bluntly told reporters outside the Bucs’ locker room after the game.

Trent Bell scored twice for Nanaimo, while Billy Walters and Clayton Peace also found the back of the net. The Bucs saw their second six-game winning streak in as many months come to an end.

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It was a rough start for the Bucs, who were down 3-0 midway through the first period. Goaltender Cedric LeSieur was pulled after allowing three goals on his first seven shots. The Bucs were shutout in the first period for just the second time in their past 18 games. Bucs’ captain Chad Bell recorded an assist Thursday night to extend his point streak to nine games (8.3.11).

Coach Lemmon said they came out flat before eventually turning things around.

“I think there was a bit of carry-over from the Peninsula game into today where we thought we could out-skill this team and that wasn’t the case,” said Lemmon. “Heck of an effort in the third made the game watchable, because the first half certainly wasn’t watchable for the fans here.”

The Bucs are still well positioned in the standings heading toward the playoffs with just nine games left on the regular season schedule. Nanaimo is eight points back of Campbell River, who leads the VIJHL’s North Division. The Storm hold a game in hand on their harbour city rivals.

It appears the Bucs could be without power forward Patrick Poets for a while. He left Thursday night’s game with what appeared to be a leg injury. He was seen on crutches following the game.

Nanaimo visits Campbell River Friday night. The Swordsmen have three more head-to-head meetings with the divison leaders.

Lemmon said games with the Storm are always hotly-contested battles.

“It’s always going to be a war when we play them,” he said. “I’m sure the boys will be ready, this is a great group of kids, we’ve got a lot of character. I don’t expect us to come out flat two games in a row at this point in the season.”

Nanaimo’s next home game is Thursday, Feb. 2 versus the Comox Valley Glacier Kings at 7:15 p.m. at the Ice Centre.

-with files from Kyle Ireland

iholmes@islandradio.bc.ca

Twitter: @reporterholmes