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Nanaimo Clippers have fun with ‘firsts’

Newcomers start to make contributions
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Nanaimo Clippers forward Parker Colley, second from left, crashes the crease during Friday’s B.C. Hockey League game against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at Frank Crane Arena. Colley scored his first goal as a member of the Nanaimo Clippers earlier in the game, which ended up as a 5-3 victory for the Shipmen.

With a youthful hockey team, everything feels new and fresh. That’s the case this year for the Nanaimo Clippers in the locker room and out on the ice.

A lot of newcomers to the Clips made their first real contributions this past weekend as the B.C. Hockey League season got underway.

With the Clippers totalling 13 goals over their two wins, 11 players scored their first goal of the season, six scored their first goal with the Nanaimo Clippers and four scored their first BCHL goal.

“We put up a lot of offence, which is pretty good for the new guys – we had a lot of first goals…” said Jamie Collins, Clippers captain. “It’s pretty special.”

The Clippers compiled their goals in a few different ways.

“Throughout practice, we work on grinding the puck down low, a puck possession game. We’re not a team that’s going to play like a track meet out there,” said Collins, who scored in both games. “We’re going to be a team down low and possesses the puck and waits for our opportunity to score.”

Brad Belisle, one of the newcomers who scored his first BCHL goal on opening weekend, said the Clippers tried to shoot the puck and play with speed.

“We didn’t play in our end a whole lot, so we were playing in their end and obviously that translates [to offence], just with the percentages,” he said.

The individual achievements were just one component of weekend – the Clippers were able to combine those goodies with team success, earning their first home-ice win of the season and their first road win of the season.

“I think it’s really good to get confidence early,” Collins said. “Especially since we have a lot of new guys, I think it’s good to get a few wins under our belt.”

They have two more chances to do so this week (Sept. 15-16) with back-to-back home games at Frank Crane.

“You always get a little bit of a jolt of energy when you’re playing at home…” Belisle said. “We’re ready to score some goals at home.”

GAME ON … The Clippers host the Powell River Kings on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Victoria Grizzlies on Saturday at 6 p.m.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com