Left picture: #30 Jordan Naylor makes the save and deflects the puck to the side.
Right picture: #7 Ethan Scardina’s shot is stopped by the goaltender’s blocker in the third period.
By Dan Marshall
The WOLF 106.9 FM
Reprinted from NanaimoNewsNOW.com
COLWOOD – The Clippers were even through two periods with the Victoria Grizzlies, but two goals in the third gave the home team a 4-2 win on Saturday.
There was no scoring in the first period with Victoria’s Kyle Dumba and the Clippers Jordan Naylor both looking sharp.
Victoria opened the scoring with a wraparound by Alex Newhook early in the second but Aiden Hansen-Bukata tied it with a power play goal that was deflected in. Marcus Mitchell may have tipped it, but Hansen-Bukata was given credit for the goal.
Victoria went in front again on a shot from the middle by Jake Veilleux. Mitchell put the Clippers back on even terms with a wraparound late in the middle frame.
The game winner was off an extremely fortunate bounce. Cameron Thompson took a puck that ricocheted off a stanchion and fell to him in the slot and snapped a shot behind Naylor half way through the third.
Marty Westhaver stole the puck on a clearance to get a shorthanded goal which provided some insurance.
The final shots were 35-32 for the Grizzlies and on the power play Nanaimo was 1/3.
Nanaimo had a fourth straight perfect penalty kill game by going 2/2.
Saturday’s Three Stars were Carter Berger (2 assists), Alex Newhook (1 goal), and Thomas Samuelsen.
Nanaimo’s five game winning streak has now come to end as they drop to 0-4 this year against Victoria.
The Clippers have a pair of games at home next weekend, Friday against West Kelowna and Saturday versus Coquitlam. Saturday’s game features the annual Teddy Bear Toss.
