By Ian Holmes

Incredible Bucs comeback sees Nanaimo beat Braves 6-4

Sep 28, 2017 | 11:05 PM

NANAIMO — It didn’t look like it was going to be the Buccaneers (6-1) night, then the hosts exploded for six goals in just over 22 minutes to hand the visiting Saanich Braves (3-4) a deflating 6-4 loss Thursday night at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Nanaimo’s top line of Jaydon Schubert (2g, 2a), Mathieu Jallabert (2g, 2a) and Darian Harris (1g, 1a) combined for 10 points to pace the Buccaneers to their fifth straight victory.

“Our goal was to make it 4-2 by the end of the second,” Bucs head coach Curtis Toneff told NanaimoNewsNOW after the uplifting victory. “We did that and took over in the third period with our momentum swing. Good teams find ways to win.”

Nanaimo trailed 4-0 after the first period as the Swordsmen were sluggish and sloppy in their own zone. The Bucs finally solved Braves goaltender Riley Mathieson thanks to late second period tallies by Harris and Schubert. The offense continued to mount in the third period as Schubert scored again early in the frame, followed by a Dylan Hartl marker to get the Bucs within one goal.

Jallabert scored the game-winner with 5:37 left on the clock, then he secured the game with an empty-netter.

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“I think we realized we weren’t ready for this game, we came out flat in the first period and hung Wood (goaltender Blake Wood) out to dry,” team captain Jallabert said outside a boisterous Bucs locker room.

Jallabert and his linemates Harris and Schubert were seemingly in the Braves zone creating chances every shift in the second and third periods.

“We all have speed, we’re all flying around out there, chipping pucks to areas, getting on top of it, that’s the bread and butter of our line,” Jallabert added.

Nanaimo outshot Saanich 51-27 before an entertained and vocal crowd of 310 fans.

Zach Guerra, Jake Wilhelm, Trevor Owens and James Vince responded for the Braves who host the Westshore Wolves Friday night (Sept. 29).

The Bucs were 0/4 on the powerplay, while Saanich was 0/1 with the man advantage.

Nanaimo has been scoring goals at a torrent pace, outscoring their opponents 26-11 over the past three outings. Nanaimo’s only loss this season (6-1) came during the Bucs first road game of the season on Sept. 8 in Campbell River. The Bucs are in Campbell River Friday night (Sept. 29) for a highly anticipated match-up with the Storm. Nanaimo and their North Division rivals are tied for first place in the division and entire VIJHL.

The Bucs next home game is Thursday, Oct. 5 versus the Oceanside Generals at 7:15 p.m. at the Pirate Ship.

ian@NanaimoNewsNow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes