Post Game Recap – Mar. 14th, 2026

Parents of the Clippers players were honoured in a pregame ceremony before an entertaining and hard-fought matchup between Nanaimo and Alberni Valley. The game featured plenty of early offense, momentum swings, and strong goaltending as the teams battled through a fast-paced first period before settling into a tighter contest. After the Bulldogs and Clippers traded goals early, Nanaimo gradually tilted the ice as the game went on, eventually breaking the tie late in the third. A clutch goal from Tanner Bruender and a late empty-netter from Jack Rimmer sealed the win for the Clippers in front of the home crowd.

An early dust-up in the opening minutes led to four-on-four play, and the extra ice quickly created an opportunity for Nanaimo. Patrick Fortune and Caden Okovita broke out on a two-man rush, finishing the play to give the Clippers the game’s first goal. The lead didn’t last long. Less than a minute later, the Bulldogs responded to tie the game at 1. Midway through the period, Nanaimo was forced onto their first penalty kill, and Alberni Valley capitalized on the power play to take a 2-1 lead. The intensity continued to build as Clippers head coach Colin Birkas was ejected from the game after questioning a non-call, resulting in another penalty kill for Nanaimo. While shorthanded, Miller Kay turned the momentum with a partial breakaway, burying a shorthanded goal to even the game at 2. Alberni Valley struck again later in the period to regain the lead, but the Clippers answered before the intermission. A late power play opportunity allowed Nanaimo to pull even, scoring to make it 3-3 heading into the first break.

A goalie change to start the second period saw Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau take over in net for Nanaimo in place of Matthew Hutchison. After a frantic first period filled with goals, the second frame settled into a much tighter defensive battle, with neither team able to find the back of the net. Nanaimo’s best chance came when Blake Jones rang a hard shot off the post, narrowly missing the go-ahead goal. The Clippers had a couple of power play opportunities and generated sustained pressure, but the Bulldogs held firm. Nanaimo controlled much of the play, outshooting Alberni Valley 19-9 in the period, but the game remained tied 3-3 heading into the third.

In the final period, the Clippers were given another power play chance to try and pull ahead. Once again Nanaimo generated pressure but couldn’t convert. A tense moment came during a net-front scramble in front of Seguin-Lescarbeau that led to a video review, but officials ruled the puck had been kicked in, keeping the game tied. Late in the game, Tanner Bruender provided the breakthrough, batting a puck out of midair and into the back of the net to give Nanaimo the lead. Jack Rimmer sealed the victory in the final seconds with an empty net goal, securing the win for the Clippers.

The three stars of the game were given to Rimmer, Bruender, and Will Subject. Patrick Fortune earned FortisBC Energy Player of the Game.

The Clippers are back in action on Saturday in a matchup against the Coquitlam Express. Tickets can be purchased at nanaimoclippers.com or the Frank Crane Box office.

-Malcolm Cooke

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