The Nanaimo Clippers put a stop to the Vernon Vipers’ season-high seven-game B.C. Hockey Leeague winning streak Sunday afternoon on Vancouver Island.
Goalie Zachary Bennett made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season, as the hometown Clippers blanked the Vipers 5-0 in front of 1,108 fans at the Frank Crane Arena.
Kyler Kovich and Travis Walton scored 2:41 apart early in the first period to give Nanaimo the only goals they would need. Cade Cavallini added a third to make it 3-0 boatmen after 20 minutes.
READ MORE: Vernon Vipers rally for seventh straight win
There was no scoring in the second and Nanaimo got goals a minute apart from Ethan Scardina and Steven Agriogianis early in the third for added insurance.
Reilly Herbst made 27 saves for the Vipers as he suffered his first loss since being acquired from the Chicago Steel of the U.S. Hockey League. His record drops to 6-1.
The Vipers sit fourth in the Interior Division at 10-7-0-0, tied in points with the Wenatchee Wild (9-7-1-1) but with one more win and a game in hand. Vernon is four points behind the third-place Trail Smoke Eaters (11-6-2-0).
Vernon continues its mammoth 11-game road trip with two more games on Vancouver Island Friday and Saturday against the Victoria Grizzlies and Cowichan Valley Capitals, respectively, before finishing the weekend on the mainland in Surrey Sunday afternoon against the Eagles.
The Vipers next play at home Friday, Nov. 22, against the division-leading Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
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