The Nanaimo Clippers feel they’ve got a good team this season, and this weekend, they get a chance to show it off.
The Clippers participate in the B.C. Hockey League Showcase event Friday and Saturday (Sept. 25-26) in Chilliwack, taking on the Merritt Centennials and then the Coquitlam Express.
It’s called a showcase and it will be just that, with college and pro scouts watching from the stands.
“It may be in the back of our mind, but I don’t think it should be a distraction,” said Brendan Shane, Clippers forward. “We just have to play our game and we have to get the four points like any other weekend.”
The fact that the games count in the standings will keep all the teams focused.
“If they weren’t regular-season games you might try and go through [defenders] and do some crazy stuff yourself,” said Matthew Hoover, Clippers forward. “But you’ve always got to think about the team and remember that these games matter.”
One of the areas where the Clips are trying to get better is in front of the net. They're generating a lot of shots so far this season and they'd like more goals to show for those efforts.
"I think we're playing pretty well, generating what we can, and systems are coming together," Hoover said. "So give us a few more games and we'll start putting things together."
Shane said it's just a matter of capitalizing on chances.
"We're still building the chemistry and that's only going to get better as the year goes on. We're laying the building blocks now," he said.
GAME ON … The Clippers play the Cents on Friday (Sept. 25) at 4 p.m., then take on the Express on Saturday at 1 p.m.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com