The Clippers hope two roster additions will help their quest to take first place in the Coastal Division. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Stocking Up

VIDEO: Clippers add two players as they battle for first place

Nov 22, 2021 | 6:29 PM

NANAIMO — Despite winning two straight games and four out of five, the Clippers are adding pieces to their roster.

Former Soo Greyhounds centre Alex Johnston has joined the team as well as University of New Hampshire commit Jed Baliotti.

Coach Darren Naylor felt the club needed to add strength up front and in goal.

“We’re making moves to solidify who we are. Alex is a top six forward with major junior experience. We did our homework on him. Jed was a guy we looked at in the summer but he decided to go to the NAHL. He’ll solidify our goaltending position and push Cooper Black who’s our number one goalie.”

The newcomers were both eager to join a winning program.

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“I’m really excited to get back playing games,” Johnston said.

He hasn’t played since the 2019-20 campaign because of COVID-19 restrictions and then trying to find the right fit to continue his hockey career.

Baliotti was in conversations with the Clippers to come to Nanaimo in the summer but opted to start the year in the NAHL.

“I’m really excited to be here,” Baliotti explained. “I’m glad we left the door open.”

Nanaimo has made room on their roster with the recent departures of Alex Morozoff and Matteo Turrin.

“We had to re-adjust our dressing room a little bit,” Naylor said. “There weren’t a lot of returning guys so we had rely on word of mouth which is good for assessing talent but then there’s the intangibles and guys accepting their roles.”

Naylor added a couple of moves may come before the trade deadline.

Baliotti dressed as the back up for the Clippers 3-1 win over Wenatchee on Friday, Nov. 19 and Johnston is expected to make his debut on the Nov. 26-27 weekend.

The Clippers scheduled trip to Merritt and Prince George will almost certainly be cancelled due to the ongoing work to fix flooded roadways in the Fraser Valley and B.C. Interior.

Nanaimo will have a pair of games to play but most likely against a Coastal Division opponent instead.

As the team moves into the final week of November the Clippers sit in second place in the division, one point behind the Langley Rivermen and with the exact same 11-6 record as the Victoria Grizzlies.

CLIP NOTES:

Tristan Fraser recently committed to the University of Connecticut for next season. Fraser was named the BCHL’s third star of the week with two goals and two assists in a pair of Nanaimo victories.

Goalie Cooper black leads the league with 11 wins. He also sits fourth in save percentage at .922.

Nanaimo has been an impressive 10-2 in Coastal Division play this season. Their Nov. 19 win over the Wild was the Clippers first victory outside of the division this year, lifting the Clippers non-conference record to 1-4.

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