Max Itagaki and Sean Donaldson celebrate after one of Itagaki's four goals against Victoria on Feb. 19. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Iggy Pops

VIDEO: Clippers weekend highlighted by Itagaki’s four goal effort

Feb 23, 2022 | 8:56 AM

NANAIMO — Max Itagaki was simply brilliant with a season-best four goal performance in a single game.

After the entire team was shutout the night previous Itagaki stepped up and led the Clippers to a 7-5 win against the Victoria Grizzlies on Saturday, Feb. 19.

With the team down 2-1 in the second period, Itagaki scored to even the game. He added two more in the middle frame and a power play marker in the third, the last three assisted by Sean Donaldson.

Assistant coach Ken McPhalen was impressed but not surprised by the offensive outburst.

“It was a special night. The scary thing is those guys have it in them every night to be able to do that.”

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Itagaki has been on a tear in 2022 with points in 14 of the club’s 16 games.

“Every day I’m trying to get better in practice and in the gym,” Itagaki said. “Playing with elite forwards like (Sean) Donaldson and (Tristan) Fraser I think we have good chemistry.”

The BCHL has taken notice of the 19-year-old’s strong play by giving Itagaki an honourable mention for the Three Stars of the Week twice in a row.

Entering the final week in February, Itagaki was 13th in BCHL scoring with 49 points and he was tied for third in power play goals with ten.

With just over a month left in the regular season Itagaki is looking forward to the playoffs.

His only junior hockey experience in the post season was a first round loss with Janesville in the NAHL last year.

“I’m really excited and I think we have a special group for sure. I don’t think there’s any team that we can’t beat.”

Itagaki is eligible for one more season in the BCHL with the Clippers but his outstanding production has garnered NCAA interest which could take him to college before aging out of junior.

“I’ve been talking to a couple of schools so I’m hoping to get things figured out pretty soon.”

CLIP NOTES:

The Clippers had veteran junior hockey coach Bob Beatty and assistant Ken McPhalen on the bench for their games on Feb. 18,19 and 21. Full time coaches Darren Naylor and Colin Birkas are on temporary leave.

The last Clipper to score four goals in a game before Max Itagaki was Josh Bourne in a game against Merritt on Dec. 15, 2019.

Sean Donaldson collected his team leading 30th goal of the season in a 4-2 loss in Alberni Valley on Monday, Feb. 21.

With 11 games left in the regular season Nanaimo has a 26-15-1-1 record which is good for third place in the Coastal Division.

Nanaimo will end the month with road games on Friday, Feb. 25 in Langley and Saturday, Feb. 26 in Chilliwack. The Clippers will not have to leave Vancouver Island for any of their remaining games in March.

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