The Nanaimo Clippers have had first place sewn up for a week and a half, but they still have something to play for over these final games.
The Clips want to make sure they have their game in order as the post-season awaits.
Nanaimo lost all three matchups on its road trip through the Interior last weekend, falling 4-2 to the Penticton Vees, 4-1 to the Vernon Vipers and 4-1 again to the West Kelowna Warriors.
“I didn’t like our game, really,” said Brett Roulston, Clippers alternate captain. “I think we got away from a lot of the stuff we tend to do well and that has brought us this far.”
The Clippers have three games left on the schedule – they host the Powell River Kings this Friday (Feb. 20), then conclude the regular season the following weekend with a home-and-home series against the Victoria Grizzlies.
“We just want to get back to playing our game and just focus on the process in these games and make sure that going into playoffs, we’ve got our game set,” said Jacob Hanlon, Clippers forward. “We’re not trying to add anything new… We’re so close to playoffs here, we know what our style is.”
The Clippers have been playoff-bound for so long now that as things wind down, it’s hard for them to resist the urge to look ahead.
“It is, but every game counts,” Hanlon said. “Obviously we’re excited, but we’ve just got to try to take it one day at a time.”
Roulston said it’s tough not to look forward, already, to playoffs, and he said he’s excited.
“But we’re going to have to stay centred for the last few games of the season and be ready for when playoffs come around,” he said.
GAME ON … The Clippers play the Kings this Friday in a 7 p.m. faceoff at Frank Crane Arena.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
