The Nanaimo Clippers were potent on special teams and it resulted in a big win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The Clips scored on all four of their power-play opportunities to allow them to come back and win 7-4 at Frank Crane Arena on Wednesday night.
Alberni scored the game's first two goals, but the visitors' lead didn't last long. Nanaimo answered back with three goals to take the lead after 20 minutes.
"I thought we showed a lot of resiliency to claw our way back," said Mike Vandekamp, Clippers coach. "I think it was important that we did that before the first intermission."
Nanaimo's top line had another huge game as Matthew Hoover and Sheldon Rempal scored two goals each and Devin Brosseau had one. Corey Renwick scored his team's first goal midway through the first period and Chris Dodero closed things out with an empty-netter with less than a second to go in the third. Jonathan Reinhart was the winning goalie as shots were 35-33 in favour of the visitors.
Vandekamp relied on his first line in the game.
"I still feel like we need to get more players going," said the coach. "That's the shortest bench we've used this year with regards to minutes played."
Hoover said the win reinforces to the team that it can score the goals it needs to come back in games. Beating Alberni is the right way to start a homestand, he said.
"This is huge to get a win on Wednesday here and try and get rolling into the weekend," said Hoover. "If we get a few wins here and boost our record up a little bit, the boys will get some confidence and we'll keep rolling."
GAME ON … The Clippers play the Coquitlam Express on Friday (Oct. 2) at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena and then host the Vernon Vipers on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Frank Crane.
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