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Clippers lose close one

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Nanaimo Clippers forward Dominic Savoie crashes the crease during the third period of Friday's game against the Westside Warriors at Frank Crane Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clips 3-2.

The Nanaimo Clippers again allowed the opposition to get them off their game.

The city's B.C. Hockey League squad was defeated 3-2 by the Westside Warriors on Friday night at Frank Crane Arena.

The Clips scored the game's first goal 36 seconds in on a rocket from Sam Labrecque, but then allowed two Westside goals in an 80-second span midway through the period. Giving up the lead deflated the Clippers and it took them until early in the third period to recover and score the tying goal. Andrew Gladiuk tallied that marker, tipping in a Labrecque point shot on a five-on-three power play.

The final 10 minutes were exciting hockey, but Westside scored the game-winning goal with four minutes left while fans were checking their 50/50 tickets. Nanaimo pulled the goalie with a minute left but couldn't create any great scoring chances.

After the game, Clippers forward Tristan Lowenberger said the first-period letdown proved to be the difference.

"The whole atmosphere on the bench crumbled," he said. "We basically sat back and let them take it to us for that 10, 15 minutes near the end of the first period."

He said when the Clippers get into a funk like that, the whole team needs to take action.

"Everybody's got to take it upon themselves to get their line going, you can't wait for others to do that," Lowenberger said.

ICE CHIPS … Clippers goalie Charles-Andre Pelletier made 36 saves as his team was outshot 39-31 … The Clippers host the Trail Smoke Eaters on Sunday (Sept. 26) at 3 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com