Joel Plante had the overtime game winner as the Nanaimo Clippers got past the Cowichan Valley Capitals 6-5 in overtime on Wednesday. (Gary Dorland)

By Alex Rawnsley

bonus hockey

Plante plays OT hero as Clippers cap Caps in school day game

Nov 20, 2024 | 4:58 PM

NANAIMO — Kids from School District 68 attending the annual school day game hosted by the Nanaimo Clippers were treated to not only a home team win, but some bonus hockey as well.

Over 1,500 kids and staff members from schools across the district were on hand to cheer the team on to a 6-5 overtime win on Wednesday, Nov. 20 during a rare 11 a.m. puck drop.

The start of the game though didn’t go the way Nanaimo fans wanted as the Capitals scored just 55 seconds into the first period to take the lead.

Despite lots of pressure from the Capitals, with shots mounting, the Clippers rallied and equalized through Makaio Van Tassel’s first of the season on a nice feed from Chase Hull.

Cowichan then scored a pair unanswered to lead 3-1 before Nanaimo returned serve, again through Van Tassel, to cut the lead in half and make it 3-2.

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Again, Cowichan replied with a quick goal through defenceman Andoni Femis’ second of the game to restore a two goal advantage.

The see-saw first period saw a seventh goal scored, this one from the Clippers ‘Luke Lavery on the powerplay to again cut the Caps advantage to 4-3.

Nanaimo were outshot 26-7 in the first period and trailed by a goal.

The team opted to switch up in net for the second period, with goaltender Chazz Nixon making way for Otto Nuto.

His calming presence helped the game settle, with each team registering 10 shots on goal along with some powerplay time.

Neither advanced the score further with it remaining 4-3 until early in the third when Carson Lesiuk sniped his second goal of the season to tie the game at 4.

The Clippers took their first lead of the game roughly 10 minutes later through Cole Lonsdale’s seventh of the year coming on the powerplay via a low angle pass from Joel Plante to make it 5-4.

But, yet again, a quick goal from the Capitals change the game as they tied the game at 5 with just under four minutes remaining.

Shots on goal through 60 minutes favoured the Capitals 51-29 with the game headed to overtime.

The Clippers needed just 48 seconds and one shot on goal to win, with Joel Plante picking up speed down the left wing, opening up a shot and beating the Capitals netminder for the game winner.

His ninth of the season leads all Clippers in goal scoring and gave Nanaimo a 6-5 victory despite only leading for 2:06 of game time.

Otto Nuto earned his first BCHL win, stopping 24 of 25 Cowichan shots in just over two periods of work.

Nanaimo head to the Lower Mainland for a two game road trip Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23 in Langley and Chilliwack respectively.

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