The Nanaimo Clippers are all smiles after securing top spot in the Coastal Division and now prepare to face Langley in the first round of the playoffs. (Island Images Photography)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

we want the cup

Clippers ready for tough first round playoff matchup

Mar 20, 2023 | 4:34 PM

NANAIMO — With just one game to go in the regular season, the playoff picture has become a lot clearer for the Clippers.

The team secured top spot in the Coastal division over the weekend, and in doing so also booked a first-round matchup in the BCHL Playoffs with the Langley Rivermen.

Games one and two will be at Nanaimo’s Frank Crane Arena on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, before the series shifts to Langley for games four and five the following Monday and Tuesday.

If needed, game five would be in Nanaimo on Thursday, April 6 and game seven is scheduled for Monday, April 10. Start times for all games in Nanaimo is 7 p.m.

Through four games in the regular season, Nanaimo held a slight advantage with a 3-1 record against the Rivermen.

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However all but one game were one-goal games, with 12 goals scored by each team.

Nanaimo opened the series in early October with a 4-3 shootout win. It wouldn’t be until New Year’s Eve where the teams would meet again with the Clippers winning again by a 4-3 score, this time in regulation.

The Clippers would go 3-0 against Langley through a 3-2 win in Nanaimo in mid-January before the Rivermen beat Nanaimo at home in late February by a 4-2 score.

Kai Daniells (34 goals, 35 assists in 53 games) and Brody Waters (21 goals, 38 points in 50 games) pace the Nanaimo offence, which also includes help from the blue line.

Ethan Mistry leads all BCHL defencemen in league scoring with 11 goals and 45 assists from his 53 games this season.

Aidan Campbell’s 26-11-3 record shows he’ll be the likely starter for game one, with a 3.19 goals against average and .913 save percentage heading into the final game of the season. Shane Shelest however sports better goals against and save percentage totals through 16 games this year.

The major question mark for the Clippers will be the status of their bench, with head coach and general manager Colin Birkas under a temporary suspension, pending investigation.

Langley’s leading scorer is Vitaly Levyy, with 24 goals and 21 assists through 51 games putting him just outside the top 20 in league scoring.

In net, Ajeet Gundarah has occupied most of the crease, going 13-18-2 in his 37 games played. He’s recorded a 2.97 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.

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