The Nanaimo Buccaneers almost let it get away from them, but they found a way to extend their win streak.
The city’s junior B hockey team won its fifth game in a row in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League action on Thursday, beating the Peninsula Panthers 5-4 in overtime at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
Derian Hamilton scored the winning goal on a breakaway with one minute, 22 seconds left in OT.
His teammate Jordan Levesque hurried a Peninsula defenceman, forcing a giveaway at the blueline.
“And their other D man was cheating up on the other side, so I just stepped in and grabbed it and got lucky that I had a free lane,” said Hamilton. “I’m not much of a breakaway goal scorer but it worked out that time.”
His finished it with a backhand deke high to the glove side of the Panthers’ left-handed goalie.
“I liked the way we played,” said Brad Knight, Buccaneers coach. “They scored a couple real nice goals on us; we scored a couple real nice goals on them. I thought it was entertaining; I thought it was up and down.”
Nanaimo held a 4-1 lead at one point before Peninsula began to carry most of the play.
Garrett Dunlop scored two goals for the Bucs and Thor Rosback and Will McNamara were Nanaimo’s other scorers. Goalie Riley Medves made 33 saves.
GAME ON … The Buccaneers (12-10-1) play on the road Saturday (Nov. 24) in Parksville against the Oceanside Generals (8-14-2). Faceoff is at 7:30 p.m. at Oceanside Place. After that the Bucs host the Westshore Wolves (14-10) Thursday (Nov. 29) at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC.
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