The Kerry Park Islanders fell to the Nanaimo Buccaneers 3-1 Monday night making it three straight defeats.
Kellan Bates scored the lone Islanders goal, with assists from Carson Brown and Nathan Da Silva.
Over the weekend, the Islanders had dropped a home-and-home set against the Victoria Cougars.
In their first game, at Kerry Park Arena on Nov. 15, the Isles’ Carson Brown scored on a powerplay just 48 seconds into the second period but that was it for the home team’s scoring. Victoria went on to score twice more in each of the second and third periods to take the game 4-1.
On Nov. 17, the Islanders visited the Cougars at Archie Browning Arena but the result was more of the same. After two goals within the first 2:20 of the game, Brown again kicked off Kerry Park’s scoring on the powerplay. A half-minute later Jacob Wingfield scored to tie it at two.
After another Cougars goal, Kerry Park’s Nathan Bouveur scored his third of the year to even the score at three apiece heading into the final period. It was all Victoria in the third, however, as the Cougars went on to score three more to wrap up the game with a 6-3 score.
Tanner Johnson took both losses for the Islanders, stopping a combined 67 of 76 shots over the two games.
The games were the last for Kevin Fitzpatrick, who has left the team in the hands of Brian Passmore, former Cowichan Valley Capitals head coach.
“I have decided to step away from coaching for a while,” Fitzpatrick said. “Running a busy business that is very short staffed and coaching junior hockey is a lot, and of course if you know me I get a bit consumed by the hockey part, and neglect the business part. So with the knowledge of Brian being available gave me the opportunity to turn things over with the piece of mind that the guys would be in very good hands.”
Fitzpatrick said with more than 15 new players, the team has come a long way from their game play to becoming a family.
“I’m very proud of the guys. It takes time to gel, and they definitely have,” he said. “I only want what’s best for the group and this make a lot of sense to get someone with a bit more time to dot and cross on some of our shortcomings that need the attention that I didn’t have the time for.”
Fitzpatrick said the Isles will improve quickly under Passmore.
“Kerry Park will make the playoffs and have a strong finish. I truly believe this,” he said. “I already miss the guys.”