By Ian Holmes

Buccaneers melt Glacier Kings

Nov 11, 2016 | 11:51 PM

COURTENAY — A dominant first period paced the Nanaimo Buccanners to a 5-3 victory over the host Glacier Kings at the Comox Valley Sports Centre in Courtenay on Friday night.

Nanaimo (11-11) built up a 4-0 lead after the first period and held off a surge from short-benched Comox Valley, (13-7-0-1) who rallied to get as close as down 4-3 midway through the second period.

“I think we played really good in the first and third periods. In the second there, we had a few lapses where we weren’t back-checking, thinking maybe we had it in the bag,” said Bucs’ forward Cam Nickerson, who had 2 goals and 2 assists on the night. “Overall, we played as a team. We did what we were supposed to do,” he said.

Nanaimo owned the Glacier Kings in the first period, outshooting the hosts 20-3 in the opening stanza to quiet down the hometown fans. The Bucs offered a rude welcoming for newly acquired goaltender Zakery Myrowich, as the 17-year-old rookie made his debut for the Icemen after being acquired from the Campbell River Storm. Myrowich was pulled in the second period when Nanaimo’s fifth goal came from an Alex Richardson wrist shot through a screen from the point.

“I did like the bounce-back by the guys in the third period, they really put the effort in. They outworked that team in the third period and that’s the reason why we won,” said Bucs’ assistant coach Doug Langlois.

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Langlois is impressed with how Nickerson is fitting in with the team since being acquired recently from the Oceanside Generals.

“He’s been great. It’s not only the points, we needed that too…he brings leadership to our team, he’s very vocal on the bench, very positive,” Langlois said.

“Everyone’s very welcoming. I’ve had a bit of bad blood with a few guys on the team in the past, but they’re all great guys,” Nickerson said. “I wouldn’t want to be on any other team in the VI.”

Nanaimo has beaten the Glacier Kings three times in a row and have taken four of six meetings against their divisional rivals on the year. Dylan Hartl and Danny Pion each had two assists, which both came on first period powerplay goals by Nickerson. The other Bucs goals were supplied by Cale Cripps and Trey Watson, who tallied his first VIJHL goal.

Nanaimo goaltender John Hawthorne elevated his game in the third period as the Glacier Kings were buzzing around his crease looking to make a late-game comeback. Hawthorne blanked the hosts with ten third period saves, many of the high quality variety.

“Really steady for us,” said Langlois of Hawthorne’s performance. “We just expect that now from him. He’s been that good, one of the best goalies in the league all year.”

The Buccaneers play their third game in three nights on Saturday evening (Nov. 12) in Parksville versus the Oceanside Generals. Nanaimo is hoping to collect 4 of 6 points this week after dropping a 1-0 decision to the visiting Peninsula Panthers on Thursday night. The Buccaneers next home game is Thursday, Nov. 17 versus the Campbell River Storm.