The Nanaimo Clippers’ pre-Christmas road swing got off to an inauspicious start.
The city’s B.C. Hockey League team was defeated 5-1 on Tuesday night by the Westside Warriors.
After giving up a goal in the first minute, the Shipmen tied the game by the midway mark of the first period on a power-play goal from Victor Newell.
But the Warriors got the lead back later in the first period and didn’t look back.
Charles-Andre Pelletier was tagged with the loss as he was pulled early in the second and replaced by Charles-Alexy Premont.
Final shots were 24-22 in favour of the Clippers.
Nanaimo plays the Salmon Arm Silverbacks tonight (Dec. 15) at 7 p.m. and take on the Trail Smoke Eaters on Friday in the Kootenays before closing out the trip Saturday in Penticton.