By Malcom Cooke
The Nanaimo Clippers bounced back with a decisive 6-3 win over the Powell River Kings on Saturday. Getting revenge after a poor performance the previous night. Shane Shelest backstopped the win, stopping 35 of 38 shots en route to his 7th win of the year. Goals came from usual suspects Brody Waters, Kai Daniells, Jérémie Payant, Willyam Gendron, and Charles Tardif with an unexpected contribution from Grant Babcock. With the win the Clippers maintain a 10 point lead in the Coastal division over the second place Surrey Eagles.
The Clippers opened the scoring a minute and half into the game after forward Brody Waters picked the pocket of a Powell River defender. Kai Daniells received a slashing penalty midway through the first, which was killed off with ease. Defenceman Grant Babcock scored his 2nd goal of the year, finishing off a pretty passing play between himself, Jake Hewitt, and Waters for a 2 goal lead with three minutes remaining in the period. The Clippers were outshot 16-7 in the period but scored on 2 of 7 shots and went into intermission with a 2-0 lead.
The Kings cut the lead to 2-1 40 seconds into the second after a giveaway at centre ice led to an odd man rush. An identical play moments later was turned aside by Clipper goaltender Shane Shelest, getting the start on a back to back. Powell River forward Adam Mendelson scored his second goal of the period to tie the game at 2-2. The Clippers had their first power play chance midway through the second, but was quickly cancelled out by a Clipper penalty. Willyam Gendron quite literally crashed the net en route to scoring the go ahead goal for the Clippers near the halfway mark, making the score 3-2. With three minutes to play in the second, the Clippers were given a 5-minute power play after a Kings player hit Rylan Yates head first into the boards. Kai Daniells scored his 22nd of the year on the power play on a laser from the top of the circle, giving Nanaimo a 2 goal lead heading into the second intermission.
The Clippers started the third period with a minute and a half left on the power play, but could not add to the lead. Just after the man advantage expired, Jérémie Payant shot a muffin that somehow found its way through Powell River defence and between the legs of the goalie for his 13th goal of the year. The Clippers were back on the power play when Jake Hewitt got hauled down attacking the net. The next goal was scored by the Kings as they cut the lead to 5-3 at the midway point of the third period. Charles Tardif scored an empty netter to close out the game with a 6-3 win.
Payant and Waters earned first and second star of the night. Kings forward Adam Mendelson took home third star. FortisBC Energy Player of the Game went to Jake Hewitt. The Clippers go on the road for three straight games before returning to Frank Crane Arena on February 17th to face the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Tickets can be purchased at Nanaimoclippers.com or the Frank Crane box office on game day.
