The Nanaimo Clippers 2026 playoff journey begins with a first round matchup against their island rivals the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Nanaimo won four of their seven regular season meetings. (Image Credit: Damon James/Island Images Photography)

By Dan Marshall

All Island Matchup

Clippers, Bulldogs meet in playoffs for first time since 2020

Apr 2, 2026 | 1:10 PM

NANAIMO — For the eighth time in franchise history, the Clippers will have a playoff series against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

Nanaimo is 5-2 all-time and has won the last three head-to-head series in 2015, 2016, and 2020, and this year the Clippers will go in as the favourites with home ice advantage.

After going 4-2-1 versus the Bulldogs in the regular season, Clippers coach Colin Birkas is confident heading into the series.

“We’ve got a good team, we’re relatively healthy, and I think we’re peaking at the right time. We’re really hungry for some postseason success. Joe Martin (Bulldogs coach) and I are from the same school of coaching. I think you’ll see a lot of what we saw in the regular season against each other, and then adjustments will be made as we move forward.”

Games between the Clippers and Bulldogs typically carry a little extra weight, according to second year forward Elliot Perreault. (Image Credit: Damon James/Island Images Photography)

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The Clippers have a veteran team with nine 2005-born players, and a group including Jack Rimmer, Landon Pappas, Hayden Fechner, and Drew Roelofs have won championships earlier in their careers.

“Winning pedigree is very important at this time of year. It’s up to our players how bad they want it, and the more kids that you have in that room that have winning experience, it only helps. When we’re at our best, we’re playing quick, we’re in your face a bit, and we’re physical.”

Second-year Clipper Elliot Perreault went through a first-round playoff loss against Cowichan Valley last year and is looking forward to a deep run this time out.

“When it’s those island teams you want to give that little bit more,” Perreault said. “We don’t like them, they don’t like us. The fans start getting into it, and it’s a great atmosphere to be in, especially in playoffs. We have home ice this year, and we hope to use that to our advantage.”

Alberni Valley will be the underdog in the series, but upset Surrey in the 2025 playoffs as the lower seed.

Bulldogs bench boss Joe Martin said they’ve been preparing for the postseason for quite a while.

“For a long time now, we knew we were going to be starting on the road and playing Nanaimo or Cowichan, so we’ve just focused on making sure we’re healthy and on good habits. We’ll have some people going there and vice versa. It’s easy travel for everybody. We’re looking forward to it.”

The series will begin at Frank Crane with games on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4, before shifting to the Alberni Valley on April 7 and 8.

Other games would be on April 10 and 14 in Nanaimo, and April 11 in Port Alberni.

Nanaimo’s last postseason series victory was in 2023 in the first round versus the Langley Rivermen.

The Clippers’ most recent finals appearance was in 2022 in a loss to Penticton, and the team’s last league title was in 2007 when they defeated the Vernon Vipers.

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