Island(ers) Breeze

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

Thanks to a tie with the Langley Thunder a couple of weeks ago, the Delta Islanders found themselves one point ahead of the Nanaimo Timbermen before Saturday's game. As frustrating as that tie was at the time for Delta, it may come in handy in the run up to the playoffs, especially with fourth, fifth, and sixth spot so tight in the standings.

With the two teams so close, setting the tone early would be important to the flow of the game. Delta made haste and not even a minute in Carlton Schuss up ended Mitch McLaren by the penalty boxes, resulting in a five minute charging penalty but managed to drag Jon Diplock to the box with him for roughing. The penalties wouldn't help or hinder either teams, but after they were done some scoring would take place. The Timbermen would strike first when Kyle Hofer snuck the ball in between the iron and Drew Duncan, but the Islanders would get their offense going with three goals from Michael Berekoff, Alex Tuura, and Carlton Schuss in just under two minutes.

T-Men goalie Scott Bannister made some key saves in the first to keep Nanaimo within reach of tying or taking over the game, but after allowing six goals against (three in each period) Bannister would pull himself halfway through the second and make way for Matt Hiebert. Delta would take advantage of the goalie switch and add goals from Logan Schuss, Robbie Campbell, and a short handed goal from Eric Tuura. Jason Jones would put in Delta's seventh goal of the evening and first on the power play. With this goal Jones would join Robert Church (Adanacs) and Riley Loewen (Lakers) at the top of the PPG standings with 13. With the six goal onslaught the Islanders would sail into the final period with a cushy 9-2 lead.

The T-Men would start the third on the power play thanks to Carlton Schuss' late cross check penalty on Cody Bremner, and Diplock would convert a goal with the man advantage. The Islanders would do much of the same in the final twenty minutes, scoring seven goals including two from Mike Mallory, and two more PP goals from Carlton Schuss and Berekoff. With just thirty six seconds to go in the game Diplock was taken down extremely hard by Brian Jette on a break away and was rewarded a penalty shot on which he would capitalize. Unfortunately for Nanaimo the damage was done in the last forty minutes of the game and the final score would be 16-5.

The T-Men had a rough night at the hand of the Islanders who seemed to have all the defensive answers and wouldn't let them play their style. Getting frustrated early, Nanaimo took too many undisciplined penalties including two unsportsmanlike calls to the bench. The Timbermen didn't have the tenacity I've gotten used to seeing them play with, and needed to make a better effort of the opportunities they did have. Delta played a complete game with a solid effort from everyone on defense, offense, and goalie Drew Duncan. Shots on both Nanaimo goalies would be a crucial piece of the puzzle to ensure their win, almost doubling their opponent by a 69-35 margin. Delta played with a sense of urgency against the Timbermen, and were rewarded handsomely with a hefty win and another step up in the BCJALL standings.