The Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals scored their fifth win a row, besting the Nanaimo Buccaneers 6-1 at the Nanaimo Ice Centre on Thursday night (Oct. 13).
Defenceman Brady Van Herk netted two goals and an assist to lead the Generals, who have taken over first place in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League North Division standings with a 9 wins, 2 losses, one overtime loss and one shootout loss, supplanting the Comox Valley Glacier Kings.
The Generals fired a total of 55 shots against the Buccaneers, who are 1-8 so far this season. They scored six unanswered goals, four in the first and two in the second, to lead 6-0 going into the third period. The Buccaneers avoided the whitewash when Hassen Himour scored shorthanded in the third.
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Other scorers for the Generals were Carter Johnson, who also had two assists, Aidan Cook, Evan Dyce and Jacob Thomas.
The Generals new goalie, 16-year-old Matthew Hutchison, just missed his first shutout. He turned away 25 of 26 shots he faced for his third win in a row.
ICE CHIPS: Johnson has now scored a goal in each of his last four games and continues to lead the league’s scoring stats with 14 goals and 16 assists… The Generals have traded defenceman Connor Allen to the Buccaneers for a player development fee… The Generals will be back at home on Oct. 21 when they host the Port Alberni Bombers at Oceanside Place at 7:15 p.m.… The next night, the Generals travel to the Comox Valley to face the Glacier Kings in a battle of the top two teams in the league. The last time they met, the Glacier Kings beat the Generals 6-3.