By Dan Marshall

Clippers win both games on their annual Parents Weekend

Oct 23, 2017 | 9:54 AM

NANAIMO — Nobody around the Clippers is underestimating the importance of family after two great results on the club’s parents weekend.
 
The team was on a four game losing streak when the parents came to town but the players certainly had an extra spring in their step with moms and dads in the stands Saturday and Sunday.
 
Maybe it was the families, maybe it was the hockey gods, or maybe it was through hard work, but the Clippers got some breaks in their wins over Coquitlam and Prince George and never trailed for the full six periods.
 
Part of the credit for that has to go to recently acquired goaltender Taz Burman who started both weekend games as well.
 
The 20-year-old is an experienced netminder with 113 WHL games to his credit with Red Deer, Seattle, and Swift Current.
 
He posted a 2.50 goals against average and a .923 save percentage in Nanaimo’s victories.
 
His addition changes the entire dynamic of the Clippers crease now that they have a proven number one starter.
 
Another factor in the wins was coach Mike Vandekamp shuffling his forward lines and defensive pairs.
 
That was a further spark that seemed to change the team’s fortunes.
 
Going back to Nanaimo’s Interior Division road trip the Clippers couldn’t buy a break.
 
Controversial goals against, fluky goals against, and no luck around the opposition net plagued the team in those losses.
 
On Sunday afternoon Parker Colley scored a buzzer beater with virtually no time left on the clock at the end of the first period. 
 
The play was a split second decision for the referees but the Clippers got the call – and it ended up being a massive goal in the scheme of their 5-2 win.
 
Assistant coach Dustin Donaghy was impressed with his teams approach to the game.
 
“When you play the game right, things are going to go your way. We played the game almost for 60 minutes the right way.
When that happens you’re going to have team success, they’re (the players) going to get their points and the team is going to get it’s points,” said Donaghy.
Sunday’s game concluded the first quarter of the season and Nanaimo finished 7-7-1.
 
They sit in fourth place in the Island standings with three huge divisional games this week.
 
First it’s Victoria on Wednesday.
 
Nanaimo is 1-1 against the Grizzlies this year and they’ll carry the bitter memory of the last meeting when Victoria scored a power play goal late in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and win 3-2.
 
After that they’ll play back to back in Powell River on Friday and Saturday.
 
The Kings are the number one team in the Island Division and they have not lost in regulation time at home this season. 
 
Wednesday’s home game against Victoria is a 7 p.m. start at Frank Crane Arena.
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77