The Clippers won four of five games in a gruelling span of five games in eight days. They continue to sit in first place in the BCHL's Coastal Division. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Week of Wins

VIDEO: Clippers thrive throughout busy four game week

Nov 16, 2022 | 11:47 AM

NANAIMO — The Clippers just finished a unique stretch of games with four in six nights and five over an eight day span.

They won four of the five matchups including three straight victories over Cowichan Valley and then Alberni Valley twice in a row.

Head coach and general manager Colin Birkas said using the full roster and spreading out the minutes played was key.

“The fatigue is a real thing, we’ve done our best to manage their workload. Away from game days I think we’ve done a good job with that too. But when the puck drops there’s nowhere to hide, we have to play for two hours and we can’t give anybody any rest.”

The cluster of games started with a 5-2 win in Victoria on Nov. 5. The only loss was Nov. 7 in a 6-2 setback to the Cranbrook Bucks, a rare Monday night contest which stemmed from a cancelled game during a recent storm and power outage.

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Nanaimo was very strong defensively in the final three games against Island opponents, winning 3-1, 4-1 and 3-2 in a shootout.

Forward Luca Grabas said winning games helps to keep the fatigue at bay.

“When you’re around that group of guys it makes the game not as tough on you and it makes it a lot of fun to play.”

Nanaimo native Brett Merner had his first point and his first goal during the week.

“Really it was just a group effort. We all came together as a group and we’re really happy with how it went.”

Nanaimo won’t have to deal with packed schedule for a while now as they won’t play more than two games in a week until the middle of February.

The team is now in the midst of five straight road games.

Nanaimo play Chilliwack for the first time since sweeping the Chiefs in round two of the 2022 playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 19 before travelling to Surrey on Sunday, Nov. 20 to play the second placed Eagles.

The Clippers enter the week with a four point lead atop the Coastal Division but Surrey has two games in hand.

The only game so far this season between the team teams was a 5-2 Nanaimo win in October.

CLIP NOTES:

Goalie Aidan Campbell was named the BCHL’s second star of the week with a 3-0 record and 1.30 goals against average.

Clipper Captain Michael Craig had a power play and the shootout winner and the team’s 3-2 shootout win in Alberni Valley. He leads the Clippers with nine power play points.

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