By Dan Marshall

Clippers take points from every hockey game in November

Dec 1, 2017 | 10:42 AM

NANAIMO — The Nanaimo Clippers are probably a bit disappointed that November is over.
 
They played 11 games and took points away from all of them.
 
The Clippers record was 7-0-1-3 last month and if you include a win over Powell River in the last game in October, Nanaimo has points in their last 12 consecutive contests.
 
Assistant coach Dustin Donaghy says the team isn’t focused on the big picture, they’re just trying to live in the moment.
 
“We have to worry about the foot in front of us, or the six inches in front of us. We have to worry about what we’re doing right now to prepare for the next game,” said Donaghy.
 
The Clippers break their season down in to five game segments with the goal of getting six points in each one. 
 
That formula breaks a 58 game schedule in to much smaller chunks.
 
Wednesday the Clippers beat Cowichan Valley 6-1 in their 29th game of the season for a 15-9-2-3 at the half way point of the year.
 
Heading into December Nanaimo is one point out of first place in the Island Division.
 
Turning the calendar back one year the Clippers were 11-14-1-3 in the middle of the season and battling for the division’s final playoff spot.
 
The expectations for this year’s squad are very high and first year blueliner David Melaragni says he isn’t surprised by the streak in November.
 
“We have a very good team and I think this is what we expected out of this group,” said Melaragni. “We performed well and worked very hard.”
 
December starts with a marquee matchup between Nanaimo and Penticton.
 
The Vees have won eight straight games and are unbeaten in nine.
 
The two rivals have the number one and two power plays in the league, and starting goalies Adam Scheel (PEN) and Taz Burman (NAN) are the first and second ranked netminders.
 
Clipper fans will get a chance to see two 2017 seventh round NHL draft picks on the Vees roster. 
 
Nick Leivermann was selected by the Colorado Avalanche and Ryan O’Connell was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
 
After Friday’s game four players from the two rosters will head to Calgary for the World Junior A Selection Camp.
 
Max Crozier will represent the Clippers while, O’Connell, Luke Reid, and Jonny Tychonick will be there on behalf of the Vees.
 
The Penticton game isn’t the only one for Nanaimo this weekend, they also host the Mainland Division leading Langley Rivermen on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Clippers final home game of 2017 is on Friday December 8 versus the Powell River Kings.
 
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77