The Nanaimo Timbermen could not topple the undefeated New Westminster Salmonbellies, falling 8-6 on Saturday night.
With the win, New Westminster remains firmly atop the standings at 8-0, continuing their dominance this season. Meanwhile, Nanaimo drops to a tie for sixth place with the Burnaby Lakers, both holding 1-8 records.
Haiden Dickson led the way for the Salmonbellies with four goals, spearheading the effort to keep New Westminster undefeated. Mitch Jones chipped in with a pair of goals, and Jacob Ruest provided strong support with three assists. Goaltender Justin Geddie made 40 saves on 46 shots in the win.
For the Timbermen, Thomas Vaesen was the standout, scoring four of Nanaimo’s six goals. Colton Lidstone contributed four assists, while Luke Pilcher added two more. In goal, Devlin Shanahan faced heavy pressure, turning aside 51 of 59 shots in the hard-fought loss.
Quick Start for the Salmonbellies
New Westminster opened the scoring with a strong start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Dickson found the net first at 5:56, then added his second goal at 14:28 to double the advantage.
Nanaimo responded late in the first period, with Vaesen scoring at 17:28 to make it 2-1 heading into the break. But despite the effort, they still couldn’t topple the undefeated squad.
Salmonbellies Pull Away in the Second Period
The Salmonbellies exploded out of the gate in the second period, scoring three quick goals in just over a minute. Mitch Jones struck 11 seconds in, followed by another goal just 23 seconds later. Will Malcom capped the run at 1:09, making it a 5-1 game.
The Timbermen pushed back. Ryan Sheridan scored off a feed from Aidan Collery at 1:42, and Vaesen followed with his second of the game at 5:21.
Dickson extended the Salmonbellies’ lead to 6-3 at 13:30, but Vaesen answered again with his hat trick goal, closing the gap to 6-4 after two periods. Still, the Timbermen were unable to topple the undefeated Salmonbellies.
Timbermen’s Comeback Falls Short
Both teams tightened defensively in the third, until Dickson notched his fourth of the night at 6:57. Tyler Pace added to the lead at 11:53, giving New Westminster an 8-4 advantage.
Nanaimo mounted a late surge. Lukas Olsson scored at 14:01, and Vaesen added a power-play goal with 2:43 remaining. But it wasn’t enough to topple the undefeated Salmonbellies, who held on for the 8-6 victory.
Despite a valiant effort, Nanaimo once again failed to topple the undefeated New Westminster Salmonbellies, who continue their unbeaten streak with poise and precision.
Top Scorers
New Westminster Salmonbellies
- Haiden Dickson: 4 goals
- Mitch Jones: 2 goals, 1 assist
- Tyler Pace: 1 goal, 2 assists
- Will Malcom: 1 goal, 2 assists
- Jacob Ruest: 3 assists
Nanaimo Timbermen
- Thomas Vaesen: 4 goals, 1 assist
- Colton Lidstone: 4 assists
- Luke Pilcher: 2 assists
Three Stars
- Haiden Dickson – New Westminster Salmonbellies
- Thomas Vaesen – Nanaimo Timbermen
- Mitch Jones – New Westminster Salmonbellies
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