#30 Shane Shelest makes a toe save on a shot through traffic.
#2 Michael Craig with a great scoring opportunity in the second period.
By Malcom Cooke
The Nanaimo Clippers defeated the Langley Rivermen 4-3 in a Thanksgiving Sunday afternoon game. It took a Jérémie Payant shootout goal for the Clippers to emerge victorious in a rematch of last season’s Coastal Division championship series. Payant, Charles Tardif, and Kai Daniells provided the Clippers' scoring during regulation. Pointe-Claire, Quebec’s Shane Shelest notched his second win of the season. He turned aside 33 of 36 shots faced in 65 minutes as well as all three shoot-out chances.
With both teams familiar with each other from last season’s playoffs, the first period started out with little action by either side. Midway through the first, Tyler Wishart took a tripping penalty sending the Rivermen to the power-play. One minute later the Rivermen would take a penalty of their own, forcing 4-on-4 play for a full minute. Wishart returned to the ice giving the Clippers a short-lived man advantage. Payant used the extra time and space to split the Langley defenders and score the first goal of the game, and his second of the year. Langley tried to answer back but Shelest stood tall and kept the puck in front of him before covering it for a whistle. A penalty to Mike Murtagh prior to the end of the first meant the Clippers would start the second down a player.
With the extra skater, the Rivermen were able to tie the game less than a minute into the second period. The Rivermen would add a second goal shortly after to take a 2-1 lead. Both teams registered 14 shots in the second. With the last shot of their 14 in the period, Charles Tardif tallied his third goal of the season. The second period would end in a 2-2 tie. A late tripping penalty for Langley meant the Clippers would start the third period with a power play.
The power-play unit scored their second goal of the night with help from Kai Daniells. With a 3-2 lead, the Clippers locked in defensively for the remainder of the third period. Dominating shifts from the Clippers' fourth line kept the puck in Langley’s zone for most of the third. Langley pulled the goalie for an extra skater with two minutes to go in the game. With less than a minute to play, they managed to tie the game at 3-3, forcing overtime.
The Clippers got another power-play opportunity in overtime but were unable to capitalize with the 4 on 3. It would take a shoot-out to decide the winner. In the shootout, Shane Shelest stopped all 3 Rivermen chances. Veteran player Jérémie Payant sealed the game with the only goal in the shootout. Payant earned FortisBC Energy Player of the Game for his heroics. Ethan Mistry, Langley forward Luke Munroe, and Kai Daniells earned the stars of the game.
The Clippers are back in action at the Frank Crane Arena on Friday, October 14 to face the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Tickets can be purchased at Nanaimoclippers.com or the Frank Crane box office.
