Another One Goal Game

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

After a crushing overtime loss to the Adanacs for their home opener, one week later the Nanaimo Timbermen made their way over to the mainland to see what they could do on the road versus the Islanders.

The T-Men must have been happy to get off the ferry, using their legs to the full potential and running a mean cycle in the opening minutes of the first. Nanaimo fired six shots at Delta goalie Blake Duncan before Ryan Forslund opened scoring just 1:31 in. Delta woke up quick and after having a couple of power play opportunities, they would score shorthanded in a huge effort from Mike Mallory as he dove across the crease and put the ball over T-Men goalie Zack Boychuk.

Ahead by one goal, the Timbermen would start the second on the power play in a leftover high-sticking penalty called at the end of the first. Delta countered with a solid PK which gave their game the boost they needed; two goals just fifteen seconds apart would give the Islanders their first lead of the game. Just a few minutes later as the Timbermen were gaining the zone, Asahel Beaudet took down Cody Bremner and gave a pretty forceful cross check to the helmet. In the consequential power play it was Bremner who would convert and tie the game back up again. The momentum seemed to be short-lived with the Islanders and the T-Men would strike twice more before the end of the second.

Islander fans were given a bit of a scare in the start of the third, as their goalie Duncan went down hard after facing a shot. After a couple of minutes of attention from the trainer and going for a bit of a walk it seemed Duncan was able to shake it off and play resumed.

Just like the second period Delta jumped out to an aggressive start and managed to push it through most of the last twenty minutes, but just like the rest of the game their demise would be in the form of a penalty box. Mike Blondin would get his second goal of the game in the third, closing the Islanders to within one as he got a lucky bounce off Boychuk’s equipment. Two goals from the T-Men gave the visitors another boost, and with time expiring the best the Islanders could do is pull Duncan when they got a power play in the last forty seconds for a 2 man advantage and a power play goal from Eli McLaughlin.

With his assist on McLaughlin’s goal, it was Carlton Schuss’ fifth point of the night and he would move into first spot in the BCJALL point standings with 12.

For the second time in the season the T-Men would play to a one goal finish, but this time in their favour taking the game by a 7-6 final score. Delta had bursts of greatness in which it seemed the games momentum would sway, but their inability to stay out of the penalty box could have made the difference in this game. Nanaimo on the other hand slipped up from time to time, but made the important strides to take back control when needed. All in all an entertaining game to watch between two teams who want to break out of the middle of the pack in the BCJALL standings.