Nanaimo lost 7-3 at home to open their weekend but followed that up with a 5-2 win in Victoria to move to 3-1 in the BCHL preseason, (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Clippers Split

Clippers split weekend home-and-home against Victoria

Oct 5, 2020 | 6:00 PM

NANAIMO — The Clippers exhibition season is picking up where their 2019-20 season ended.

The 2020 Island Division regular season champions are 3-1 after their first four contests including a split against Victoria Oct. 2-3.

Head coach Darren Naylor said the team had a small setback in their lone home game versus the Grizzlies but overall he’s encouraged.

“I think Saturday being their fourth time in a game you could start to see a lot of the players hit stride. I think it was the best effort and our biggest jump in play since we started.”

In the Clippers first home exhibition game on Oct. 2 they were in the relatively new confines of Cliff McNabb Arena.

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The team came out strong in the first 10 minutes and opened the scoring on a shot by Shaun Mahoney.

But the Grizzlies took a 4-1 lead to the locker room and led 5-3 by the end of the second period.

Nanaimo’s second period goals were scored by Jack O’Brien and Tyler Schleppe.

Victoria added another two goals in the third to take the game 7-3.

The Grizzlies power play was a major story in the game connecting four times on nine opportunities.

One night later it was a complete turnaround.

After going down 1-0 in the first period, Nick DeSantis, Jaeger Murdock and Sean Donaldson scored in succession to make it 3-1 Clippers.

Although the Grizzlies narrowed the gap to 3-2 before the intermission break Liam Ryan and Tim Washe put the game out of reach in the third period.

Team captain Kyler Kovich had two assists for Nanaimo in the game, his last time on the ice before the NHL Entry Draft on Oct. 6-7.

Kovich is ranked 168th among North American skaters and Naylor said he showed well in front of some NHL scouts in the building many more watching online.

“He was the best player on the ice for both teams. That’s where Kyler has to be with his dream looking him in the face.”

One new player made his debut on the weekend. Goalie Chase Grsic was acquired from Thorold of the GOJHL. The newcomer stopped 20 of 23 shots in 40 minutes of action on Oct. 2.

The next action for the Clippers is also against Victoria with another home and home series Oct. 9 and 10.

The remaining six home games of the extended BCHL preseason will be broadcast on 106.9 the Wolf.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77