Close Call

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

It’s over halfway through the 2010 season but there are still some teams who have yet to face each other in the BCJALL. Thursday night in Nanaimo the Timbermen would host the Salmonbellies for the first time since the 2009 league quarterfinals, which saw New West advance to the semis with two big wins in the new best-of-three format. New West is currently the only undefeated team left in the BCJALL and Nanaimo has steadily improved since last year, hovering in the top four spots since the start of the season. These components would combine on Thursday night and make for one heck of a match-up on the Island. Since neither side had seen each other in quite some time, the first period had a safe feeling to it as both teams were feeling each other out and seeing what the other could do. Every position seemed to doing their job for both squads; offensive players were getting quality shots on net, but defensive players were getting good positioning, and goaltending at both ends was top notch for whatever made it through. Funny enough between these two offensive teams, the only goal of the period would be as Steve Higgs scored while the Timbermen were short-handed.

Down by one goal the ‘Bellies collected themselves in the break and came out with purpose in the second as Mark Negrin scored just half a minute in, followed closely by Keegan Bal to put the visitors ahead by one in the span of a couple of minutes. Penalties would be a problem for both sides in the middle of the second, but each team would stay close in scoring. The tie at four goals would be broken with just seventeen seconds left in the period as ‘Bellies captain Jarrett Toll was left all alone on the doorstep of the crease where he faked left and threw the ball underhand past Zack Boychuk while New West was on the PK.

Now knowing what each side was capable of, the third period was a battle for the win and no one was willing to give up. Daniel McQuade gave New West a two goal cushion but the Timbermen unleashed a short-handed fury with Cody Bremner, Isaac Haack and Colton Clark all scoring while playing a man down, and all within four minutes of one another. Until the last few minutes of the game the score was once again all tied up until TJ Cowx got a great feed from Matt MacGrotty on a fast break for the game winning goal. Nanaimo broke out hard in the dying seconds and gave the ‘Bellies a scare on what looked to be their last drive of the game but would get called for the over and back which gave New West enough time to wind the clock down for the slim 9-8 win.

Good defense and goaltending was the story of the game most notably for Nanaimo. Boychuk faced 52 shots from the ‘Bellies tonight and didn’t let one past him until the second period. Starting out on a mellow note with only one goal between the two teams in the first, the game really opened up in the second period and the third was a treat to watch as the teams play to such a close game until the dying minutes. Four short-handed goals proved the Timbermen were swift and intelligent on their feet, and New West’s ability to rebound quickly from their mistakes ultimately kept them undefeated in the standings. Both teams played with great purpose tonight, perhaps a preview of yet another post-season matchup in the BCJALL.