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Nanaimo Buccaneers lose 4-3 in double-overtime to Westshore

Nov 16, 2017 | 10:10 PM

NANAIMO — After experiencing smooth sailing for the most part this season, the Nanaimo Buccaneers (16-4-0-1) are now dealing with some choppier waters.

The city’s junior B hockey team lost 4-3 in double-overtime to the visiting Westshore Wolves (14-8-0-1) Thursday night at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Cameron Coutre scored the game-winning goal on a broken play, slamming the puck past a helpless Derek Krall.

“I thought that last half of the second period really killed our momentum,” Bucs head coach Curt Toneff told NanaimoNewsNOW after the game. “(Westshore’s) powerplay was great and ours was just okay.”

The Wolves scored all of their regulation goals on the powerplay, including two off the stick of captain Brandon Tutte, who has an astonishing 22 points (13g, 9a) during a sizzling seven game point streak.

Nanaimo had a 1-0 lead after the first period on a goal by Luc Wilson, but the hosts then found themselves down 3-1 early in the third as the Wolves cashed in on a trio of powerplays.

Brandon Roberge scored his 10th of the season on the powerplay at the 7:31 mark of the third period to get the Bucs within one. With just 3:33 left on the clock, Billy Walters notched his third of the season after Clayton Peace forced a turnover against the flow of play.

Then in the second overtime session the Bucs were completely gassed and hemmed in their own zone before Coutre was patiently set up in the slot to end the game.

Surging Westshore, who hold a healthy lead atop the VIJHL’s South Division, has won four games in a row and six of seven.

The Bucs were forced to use three affiliate players with five forwards and a defenseman out of the lineup. The walking wounded include star rookie centre Booker Chacalias, who sustained a minor injury in a car crash this week.

Toneff said he doesn’t expect Chacalias to miss much time after his car hydroplaned and hit the ditch on his way to Port Alberni to attend a practice with the BCHL’s Bulldogs.

Nanaimo has lost four of its last six games, after winning 14 of its first 15 outings to start the season, including a 13-game winning streak.

“In certain aspects of the games we’ve gotten away from what got us here to this record, our puck movement on the powerplay has lagged and I think certain guys are trying to do too much at the wrong times,” Toneff said.

The coach conceded injuries piling up have hurt the team, but noted most of their injured players should return soon.

The Buccaneers visit the Oceanside Generals Saturday night (Nov. 18) and host the Generals next Thursday (Nov. 23) at the Pirate Ship at 7:15 p.m.

 

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes