The Nanaimo Clippers got some late-game heroics to return to their winning ways.
The Clips beat the Trail Smoke Eaters 2-1 on Saturday at Frank Crane Arena thanks to a power-play goal from captain Brendan Taylor with three seconds left in the third period. The Smokies had taken a hooking penalty with 20 seconds left in the game and the Shipmen made the visitors pay.
“There wasn’t very much time left so I just called for the puck and when I got it, I realized that I just had to make a play and just tried to get it on net,” Taylor said.
It was Taylor’s third straight game scoring a third period goal. He had scored game-tying markers Wednesday and Friday in home-and-home losses to the Victoria Grizzlies.
Jacob Hanlon had Nanaimo’s other goal in the Trail game and Guillaume Decelles made 25 saves for the win.
“We controlled most of that game and all of our team goals that we set, we were doing pretty well on those,” Hanlon said.
The night before, Cole Maier and Taylor scored and Jakob Severson made 26 saves in a 3-2 setback.
GAME ON … The Clippers have a busy week ahead with three divisional games. The Clips visit the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Wednesday (Nov. 26) at 7 p.m. at Weyerhaeuser Arena, then host the Grizzlies on Friday at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena, then head back over the hump for another game against the Bulldogs on Saturday at 7 p.m.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
