Luke Lavery started his career with the Clippers in 2021 and played his 200th BCHL game in his return season with Nanaimo on Jan. 24. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

200 Games

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Jan 28, 2025 | 2:59 PM

NANAIMO — The BCHL journey of Luke Lavery began with his hometown Clippers on Apr. 3, 2021 and reached the 200 game mark this past weekend.

Lavery, who is now in his second go around with the Clippers, is still processing the 200 game milestone, achieved Friday, Jan. 24 in Powell River.

“It’s crazy to think that I’ve gotten this far, all the way to 200 games. I remember when I was 16 and I had one older guy hit 200 games. I thought there was no way I would ever get there but here we are now. It’s pretty cool.”

Lavery scored in his first ever BCHL game in the 2021 pod season in Port Alberni.

“I’ll remember that one forever up in Alberni but playing Victoria. I was lucky enough to score a goal, that seems like forever ago now.”

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He played all 20 games during the pod season but after three games in the 21-22 season was traded to Vernon.

“Vernon was a great time for me, I was a young pup when I got traded there and I grew up there. I finished high school there. The fans rally around the whole team and the whole organization. It’s almost like you’re playing for the whole city.”

Lavery said his 96 game run with the Cowichan Valley was important for his offensive game.

He earned first line minutes and power play time, putting up 72 points from 2022-2024

The Clippers re-acquired Lavery’s rights in the offseason and he was ecstatic for a return home.

“It was the greatest thing that could have ever happened. I always wished I’d have the chance to come home to Nanaimo. Me and my family have nothing but good things to say.”

Having family and friends in the stands for every home game in his final junior season is special.

“My mom and my dad have been to every single home game this year. My dad travels the island too to watch those games. It means so much that those two are going to be in the stands every single night. My buddies too, they’ve made it to probably ten or 15 games.”

In Lavery’s 200th game in Powell River he recorded an assist.

He admitted it wasn’t just a typical game.

“That was the one game in quite awhile I’ve had some butterflies. Just knowing in the back of my mind it was the 200thgame. Not many people get to this milestone and my teammates are so great they were gassing me up in the dressing room, it makes it even better to have such a great group of guys to go out and battle for.”

Clippers coach Colin Birkas has known and respected Lavery as player for a long time.

“He bleeds orange, Luke and Brett Merner are the first kids I met when I moved here six years ago. I’m so glad he’s finishing his career in Nanaimo where it started. He was recently named to our leadership group. He’s playing great two way hockey right now and he’s going to make a college program really happy.”

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