The Nanaimo Clippers have won the Cliff McNabb trophy by winning the BCHL's Coastal Conference final series 4-0 over the Prince George Spruce Kings. (Image Credit: Damon James/Island Images Photography)

By Dan Marshall

Ousting the Spruce Kings

Clippers sweep their way to BCHL finals

May 7, 2026 | 12:26 AM

NANAIMO — The Clippers had bumps in the road in closing out Alberni Valley and Cowichan Valley in the first rounds of the BCHL playoffs but they dispatched the Prince George Spruce Kings in four straight games in the third round.

The clinching game finished 6-2 in Nanaimo’s favour and featured two goals each from Charles Beland and Patrick Fortune.

Beland had a pair of goals in the first five minutes of the contest and Fortune’s first goal gave the Clippers a 3-1 lead in the middle frame.

The Spruce Kings cut that lead to 3-2 before the second intermission but Nanaimo had tallies from captain Will Subject, Fortune and Sebastian Miles to put the game and the series away in the third.

Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau was strong in net and picked up his twelfth post season victory.

Ousting the Spruce Kings

Clippers sweep their way to BCHL finals

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The final shots ended up 44-33 in favour of the Clippers while Nanaimo scored on their only power play and killed off five straight shorthanded situations against Prince George.

The Spruce Kings had goals from Tai Ushio and Lucas Busch in what would be their final games in the BCHL.

Carter Hesselgrave, Isaac Holt, Evan Bellamy, Ozbej Rep, Trent LeDrew and Colin Reay also had their junior hockey careers come to an end in Game 4.

The Clippers will now play the winner of the Brooks Bandits and Cranbrook Bucks series which currently sits at 3-1 for Brooks.

Nanaimo has advanced to the BCHL finals for the first time since 2022 and they are going in search of their first league championship since 2007.

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by Dan Marshall

Clippers sweep their way to BCHL finals

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