Nanaimo, BC – The Nanaimo Clippers defeated the Victoria Grizzlies 7-5 on Saturday. Bouncing back in a big way after getting shut out the previous night. The game featured three of the top five scorers in the BCHL this year, including Clippers forward Sean Donaldson. But it was forward Max Itagaki who put up four goals to lead the Clippers to a win.
The first period started with five minutes of continuous play. Both teams buzzed around, trading chances before Nanaimo born Grizzlies forward Matt Wood scored to tie the league lead for goals scored and put the Grizzlies up 1-0. Victoria would add to their lead on an Ellis Rickwood goal to go up by 2. Late in the period, the Clippers drew a hooking penalty that would see them start the second period on the power-play.
With the man advantage to start the second period, the Clippers generated multiple scoring opportunities but couldn’t solve Cole Schwebius. Shortly after the penalty expired, Brody Waters tipped a Jack O’Brien shot that snuck past Schwebius to bring Nanaimo within one. Victoria countered immediately after with a goal of their own to regain a two goal lead. Two minutes after the Grizzlies scored Illinois product, Max Itagaki stripped the puck from a Victoria defender and scored the first of his four goals in the game. After the electric four minutes to start the period, play settled down for a few shifts before Matt Wood scored his second of the game to give the Grizzlies some breathing room at 4-2. The dynamic duo of Itagaki and Donaldson retaliated with two quick Itagaki goals, both set up by Donaldson to tie the game at four each and give Itagaki the hat-trick. Jack Gorton scored before the end of the frame to give the Grizzlies a lead heading into the third.
One minute into the third, mad Max Itagaki scored his 4th goal of the game and 26th of the season to tie the game 5-5. Both teams tightened up defensively and picked their spots to attack which was a change from the free flowing offensive showcase in the second. With eight minutes to go, the Clippers took control after Keighan Gerrie scored his 12th goal of the year. Clipper goalie Jed Baliotti made a game saving, cross crease glove save with less than two minutes left in the game to preserve Nanaimo’s one goal lead. FortisBC Energy Player of the Game, Andrew Noel iced the game with a 200-foot empty net goal for a 7-5 Clippers win.
The Clippers hit the highway on Monday for a matchup against Alberni Valley to start a three-game road trip. The Clippers will return to the Frank Crane Arena on Friday, March 4, to face the Chilliwack Chiefs. Tickets can be purchased at nanaimoclippers.com or at the Frank Crane box office on game day.
Written by Malcolm Cooke.
Recap presented by
