Clippers defeat league leading Chilliwack Chiefs 2-1

Left picture: #31 Landon Pavlisin makes one of his 40 saves.
Right picture: #20 Thomas Samuelsen scores Nanaimo’s 2nd and game winning goal.

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

CHILLIWACK — The Clippers played one of their most complete games of the season in defeating the Chiefs 2-1 on Saturday. In the process they ended Chilliwack’s nine game winning streak.

The first period was fast paced with the Clippers outshooting the Chiefs 14-9. Both Landon Pavlisin and Chilliwack’s Daniel Chenard made several key saves to keep the game scoreless. Marcus Mitchell on an early wraparound, and Thomas Samuelsen on a close in chance had Grade A chances for Nanaimo.

A power play deflection goal by Mackenzie Merriman was the only marker of the second period to give the Clippers a 40 minute lead. Late in the second Nanaimo captain Marcus Mitchell was assessed nine minutes in penalties, including a game misconduct that ended up giving the Chiefs a seven-minute power play.

#7 Ethan Scardina sees #15 MacKenzie Merriman’s shot go in the net.

The Clippers did an excellent job killing the power play, although it was cut into a bit with a Chilliwck unsportsmanlike conduct call. Eventually the Chiefs did get a power play goal mid way through the third period by Harrison Blaisdell. But just 41 seconds later Thomas Samuelsen scored his second goal in two games to give the Clippers a lead they would not relinquish.

Chilliwack outshot Nanaimo 18-2 in the final frame, but again Pavlisin was outstanding in securing the win.

The overall shots finished 41-26 for the Chiefs, with the Clippers going 1/3 on the power play and 5/6 on the penalty kill.

Saturday’s Three Stars were Landon Pavlisin (40 saves), Harrison Blaisdell (1 goal), and Daniel Chenard (24 saves).

Nanaimo has three games left in the regular season as they visit Surrey on Sunday at 4 p.m. and then travel to Victoria on the 22nd, and host Powell River on the 23rd.