Clippers come up short in Prince George

Left picture: #30 Jordan Naylor stops and deflects the shot to the corner.
Right picture: #27 Marcus Mitchell wins a face-off and feeds the puck to #3 Tyler Williams.

By Dan Marshall
The WOLF 106.9 FM 
Reprinted from NanaimoNewsNOW.com 

PRINCE GEORGE — The Clippers lost 5-3 in Prince George to start their three-game road trip which will also take them to Merritt and Langley.

Thomas Samuelsen had the only goal of the first period as he broke in alone, shorthanded to get his third of the season. Prince George outshot the Clippers 11-4 but Jordan Naylor was very sharp between the pipes.

The Spruce Kings scored twice in the second period. Both goals were scored by Dustin Manz, and both were deflections. The first goal by Manz was scored on the man advantage and the second was at even strength.

Ben Brar gave PG a 3-1 lead when snapped a shot behind Naylor early in the third. Nanaimo fought back to tie it on a power play marker from Dan Gatenby and a goal from the edge of the crease by Josh Bourne. Gatenby’s goal was his first in a Nanaimo uniform.

Prince George would get the lead back 57 seconds after the tying goal from Bourne on a power play effort off the stick of Ben Poisson. Dustin Manz completed his hat trick with a shorthanded goal with under two minutes to play to cap off the scoring.

The final shots were 33-21 for Prince George with Keenan Rancier collecting the win for the Spruce Kings.

The power plays finished 2/6 for PG and 1/3 for Nanaimo. Friday’s Three Stars were Dustin Manz (3 goals, 1 assist), Ben Brar (1 goal, 2 assists), and Patrick Cozzi (4 assists).

On Saturday the Clippers road trip continues with a game in Merritt at 7pm.

Nanaimo is 4-2 against the Interior Division this year as they head into the game trying to end a four-game losing streak.