The Nanaimo Clippers five game winning streak has come to an end as they prepare to start a new month. The team looks to rebound with upcoming home games against Victoria and Coquitlam. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Needing to Rebound

VIDEO: Clippers expect bounce back effort after winning streak snapped

Nov 30, 2023 | 9:36 AM

NANAIMO — The Clippers were on a roll for most of November until their five game winning streak came to an end in Port Alberni.

It was the first time new assistant coach Gaelan Patterson has seen the club lose.

He felt the Bulldogs came out with a playoff mindset in a 6-1 Clippers loss on Saturday, Nov. 25, but sees the game as a learning opportunity.

“When a team is playing that urgent and that desperate against you, you can get caught on your heels and then you’re not playing your game.”

At times the contest at Weyerhauser Arena crossed the line with forwards Chase Hull and Joel Plante leaving the game due to injury from illegal checks.

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The BCHL levied suspensions against Alberni Valley players for both incidents.

The good news is there’s a chance both Hull and Plante could be available for the Clippers next games against Victoria on Friday, Dec. 1 and Coquitlam Sunday, Dec. 3.

Both are at Frank Crane Arena.

“It’s a sensitive thing,” Patterson said. “They have to take their time and go through the steps but both are doing really well in that regard.”

After going through a game with players getting injured and more than 30 total penalty calls Patterson believes his team can use it as a lesson going forward.

“We can expect that when we get to playoffs. We were on a five game win streak and maybe things got a little sloppy. When a team comes out like that we have to push back. They came out with a lot of urgency and desperation.”

Clippers top goal scorer Mike Murtagh said even though they won’t face the Bulldogs again in the regular season, he and his teammates will be ready if there’s a playoff matchup down the road.

“One thing to take from it is don’t let it happen again. I think we learned a lot as a team.If we see them again we need to come out hard and match their intensity.”

Veteran Noah Alvarez said the Clippers are already looking forward and not backwards.

“We’re going to bounce back from that Saturday loss. It’s been a good week of practice and we’re pumped for our next two games.”

CLIP NOTES:

The Clippers have eight games in December after a 5-2-1 month of November. Nanaimo will play at home Dec. 1,3,8 and 9. Then they’ll be on the road Dec. 13,15,16 and 29.

The Clippers enter December as the highest scoring team in the Coastal Division with 94 goals, second in the BCHL behind Penticton.

Forwards Willyam Gendron and Mike Murtagh sit fourth and seventh respectively in BCHL scoring. However they had long point streaks snapped on Nov. 25. Gendron’s streak had reached 12 games while Murtagh’s was at nine.

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