The Nanaimo Buccaneers played extra time to extend their post-season.
The Bucs defeated the Campbell River Storm 4-3 in overtime on Monday night at the Nanaimo Ice Centre and now trail the best-of-seven junior B hockey series three games to one.
Seamus O’Toole scored the winning goal six minutes into OT.
“We’ve been battling hard all series,” he said. “We weren’t getting the bounces the first couple games there in a couple of overtime periods and I think we deserved this one tonight.”
Dawson Heathcote scored twice for Nanaimo and Cole Broadhurst also tallied. Goalie John Hawthorne made 47 saves as his team was outshot 50-27.
“I thought we were good…” said Hawthorne. “They fought back, but in the end, I loved our effort. It was great. We won.”
Dan Lemmon, Buccaneers coach, said “guys were holding their sticks a little tight” at times in the game, afraid to make a mistake in a potential elimination game. But it meant they made the safe plays which were usually the right plays. He was proud of the way his team handled the challenge of its first do-or-die game of the playoffs.
“What heart and leadership,” Lemmon said. “The whole group has stuck together all year. We came down to the nitty-gritty tonight and got the job done.”
After enjoying the support of the biggest crowd of the season at the NIC on Monday, the Bucs head back up Island on Tuesday (March 14) for Game 5. Hawthorne said looking at the way the first four games have gone, “one bounce either way” and his team could be leading the series or it could be tied.
“It’s been a really close series,” said Hawthorne. “We’re a confident group. We feel like we can come back, we’ve just got to stick to the process, take it one game at a time and things will take care of themselves.”
GAME ON … Game 5 starts at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell River’s Rod Brind’Amour Arena. Game 6, if necessary, would be Thursday at 7:15 p.m. at the NIC.
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