CLIPPERS DEFEAT WENATCHEE IN OVERTIME – 5-4

Left picture: #15 MacKenzie Merriman scores the overtime winning goal. Right picture: Clippers swarm around Merriman to celebrate the overtime win.

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

WENATCHEE, WA — The Clippers have their first two-game winning streak of the year after a 5-4 overtime win over the Wenatchee Wild on Friday.

Mackenzie Merriman and Jordan Naylor led the way, Merriman with two goals, including the OT winner and Naylor with 46 saves on 50 shots. 

Merriman opened the scoring with a short-handed goal less than four minutes into the game. The Wild then struck for two straight, when Christophe Fillion scored on the power play and Brian Adams tallied on a rebound.

Ethan Scardina tied it up before the end of the first, with a wicked blast right off a face-off in the Wenatchee zone. Naylor was especially sharp in the first period with the shots finishing 24-8 for the Wild.

The Clippers scored the only two goals of the second on a close-in chance by Kyler Kovich and a power play marker by Josh Bourne. Bourne’s goal chased Wild starter Austin Park from the net.

The Clippers held the lead through most of the third period until late goals by Blake Bargar and Matt Dorsey on the man advantage sent the game into overtime.

Merriman broke in alone halfway through the three on three overtime and slipped the puck under Cal Sandquist to secure the win.

The final shots were 50-24 for the Wild with Wenatchee going 2/5 on the power play and the Clippers finishing 1/4.  

The Clippers victory was their first ever at the Town Toyota Centre as they spoiled the Wild’s home opener in front of over 3200 fans.

Friday’s Three Stars were Jordan Naylor (46 saves), Mackenzie Merriman (2 goals), and Matt Dorsey (1 goal).

On Saturday Nanaimo plays the West Kelowna Warriors at 7 p.m. The Warriors won their previous meeting 4-2 at the BCHL Showcase.