By Ian Holmes

Nanaimo Buccaneers win season opener in thrilling fashion

Sep 8, 2016 | 11:17 PM

NANAIMO — It wasn’t pretty, but it’s two points that the Nanaimo Buccaneers will gladly take to kick-off the season.

The Bucs opened their 2016/17 regular season with a wild 7-6 overtime victory over the Oceanside Generals Thursday night in Nanaimo.

Trent Bell scored the game-winning goal 31 seconds into overtime by backhanding a shot into the top shelf behind Generals’ goaltender Matt Henwood.

“I don’t think we played our best game, but being able to win when not playing your best game is a good thing,” said Trent Bell in a post-game scrum with reporters.

Bell had a big night, notching 2 goals and 3 assists to pace the Bucs’ offense.

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He was followed closely by highly touted 16-year-old rookie forward Dawson Heathcote, who was a threat all night, producing 2 goals and 2 assists.

The line of Trent Bell, Heathcote and Nolan Richardson combined for 11 points.

Richardson, Julias Zhang, and Chad Bell also found the back of the net for Nanaimo, in front of a strong Ice Centre crowd of 330 fans.

Buccaneers assistant coach Cam McCarrick says he was impressed with how their young team kept their composure, despite being down early (3-1) and coughing up a third period lead.

“We battled back to gain our leads. Just one of those games where you gotta maintain your highs and lows and I thought we did that well today,” said McCarrick.

Ethan Sundstrom and Brodie Smith each scored a pair of goals for the veteran-laden Oceanside Generals, who open the year with a 0-1-0-1 record.

The Buccaneers next game is Saturday night in Courtenay versus the Comox Valley Glacier Kings, a team Nanaimo swept in the first round of last year’s playoffs.