Playoff hockey hits Round 2
The Nanaimo Buccaneers will take the ice this week to start vying for their first playoff banner.
The city’s Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League team hosts the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Tuesday (March 5) in Game 1 of the best-of-seven North Island Division final.
The Bucs swept the Kerry Park Islanders in the first round of the post-season, but know Round 2 will be tougher.
“It’s definitely going to be much closer games,” said Quentin McShane, team captain. “We can’t let anything slide, we can't take bad penalties, we've got to be certain on all plays … We can't let them have anything."
The Buccaneers and Glacier Kings split their season series with five wins apiece, so by this stage of 2012-13 they're familiar with one another. McShane said the Bucs need to play a physical style and keep things simple to have good results.
"Comox is ready to go, they're fired up … They're going to be tough. It's going to be a lot different series," said Brad Knight, Buccaneers coach. "We're going to have to play a really physical series with Comox."
The coach said even after a first-round sweep, he thinks his players will understand that each series gets that much tougher.
"They know the steps, they know what's next," Knight said.
GAME ON … Tuesday's game is a 7:15 p.m. faceoff at the Nanaimo Ice Centre. Game 2 will be Thursday, also at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
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