The Nanaimo Buccaneers made it an exciting night of hockey in their home opener.
The Bucs edged the Oceanside Generals 3-2 on Thursday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre after Jayden Schubert scored the game-winning goal with five minutes left on a short-handed breakaway.
Fly by after Jayden Schubert's game-winning goal on a short-handed breakaway with five minutes left… @NBuccaneers pic.twitter.com/3imWa1Rxy7
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) September 8, 2017
“It was intense,” said Curtis Toneff, Buccaneers coach. “Oceanside, they came out and they played hard and our guys at times were too high and at times were too low, but as things go on here, we’re going to settle that down.”
The game was disjointed in spots and there was some undisciplined hockey and neither team had an edge through two periods, with the score 1-1 going into the third. Cam Nickerson scored a go-ahead goal for Nanaimo on an individual effort, but the Bucs ran into penalty trouble and Oceanside tied things up again with seven and a half minutes left.
Schubert got a pass from Mathieu Jallabert with the Generals defence out of position, got free and chose to shoot on his breakaway attempt and found some room short side.
Toneff praised the play of goaltender Derek Krall, who made 24 saves for the win.
“He made those big saves. That one late, I think it was with three or four minutes left, back door, those are the saves you need from goalies,” the coach said.
Nick Robinson scored the first goal of the season for the Buccaneers seven minutes into the first period. Jared Winkel and Greyson Weme responed for the Gens.
“It’s the first game of the season, so obviously we’ve got to knock the rust off and we’ve got to build our chemistry still, but I thought we worked hard,” Schubert said.
He agreed the the close contest was good experience for the club.
“I love those types of games, you’re always into it,” he said. “It wasn’t the way we wanted it to go, but we [pulled] it out in the end.”
GAME ON … The Buccaneers visit the Campbell River Storm on Friday (Sept. 8). Next home action at the NIC is Sept. 14 when the Bucs host the Storm at 7:15 p.m.
Bit of rough stuff tonight in a closely contested hockey game… #VJIHL #hockey pic.twitter.com/dYXo2WfwmJ
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) September 8, 2017