By Malcom Cooke
In a crucial showdown on Friday night, the Nanaimo Clippers used a dominant power play to take down the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 6-3. Chase Hull, Luke Lavery, and Anthony Biakabutuka each scored on the man advantage, while Dylan Kinch, Makio Van Tassel, and Jack Rimmer added goals at even strength. The Clippers built a commanding lead through two periods before Alberni Valley surged early in the third, but Nanaimo responded and shut the door to secure the victory.
The Nanaimo Clippers capitalized on early penalty trouble for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs to take control in the opening frame. A penalty to the Bulldogs put the Clippers on the power play, and a second infraction led to a brief 5-on-3 advantage. While the initial penalty expired, the Clippers remained on the man advantage, and Chase Hull made them pay, firing home the game's first goal. Midway through the period, Hull was on the receiving end of a hit to the head at center ice, sending Nanaimo back to the power play for the third time in the period. They made no mistake, as Luke Lavery netted his 18th goal of the season to extend the lead. The Bulldogs responded quickly, cutting the deficit in half with a goal of their own, but Dylan Kinch restored the Clippers’ two-goal cushion shortly after. Late in the first Alberni Valley took their fourth penalty, a double minor for high-sticking. The Bulldogs held a slight edge in shots, 12-10, but it was Nanaimo who took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
The Clippers began the second period on the power play but were unable to extend their lead. Nanaimo then found themselves shorthanded for the first time five minutes into the frame but managed to kill off the penalty. The Bulldogs’ discipline issues continued, as they were penalized again for after-the-whistle roughing, though the Clippers couldn’t convert on the ensuing man advantage. Midway through the period, Makaio Van Tassel provided the highlight of the frame. Knocking the puck out of the air, he directed it past the Bulldogs’ defense and broke in alone, finishing the play with a goal to give Nanaimo a commanding 4-1 lead. With the three-goal cushion, the Clippers shifted to a more defensive style, successfully stifling Alberni Valley for the remainder of the period. Nanaimo held a slight 9-6 edge in shots in the second and took their 4-1 lead into the final frame.
The game took a dramatic turn in the third. Alberni Valley stormed out of the gates, scoring twice in quick succession, to cut the deficit to 4-3 and put the Clippers on their heels. With momentum shifting, Nanaimo dug deep and responded once again with their third power-play goal of the night, as Anthony Biakabutuka fired one home to regain a two-goal cushion. Jack Rimmer sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, capping off a key 6-3 win in a pivotal matchup.
The three stars of the game were awarded to Dylan Kinch, Cole Lonsdale, and Cameron Frost. The FortisBC Energy Player of the Game award was given to Makaio Van Tassel.
The Clippers are back in action on Saturday when they face-off against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, game time is 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the Frank Crane box office on game day or at tickets.nanaimoclippers.com.
