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RECAP: WARRIORS HOLD OFF CLIPPERS COMEBACK TO WIN 7-5

Photo Credit: Julie Pringle(Snap Photography)

November 30th, 2018

NANAIMO B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors pick up a thrilling 7-5 victory in Nanaimo Friday night.

The Warriors were able to easily shake off the bus leg and ferry leg immediately to start the game with the fourth line scoring the opening goal. It was a simple Clippers turnover in their own zone to Brandon Dent who was able to score his second of the season giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead only 1:52 into the hockey game. The depth of the Warriors continued to shine to start the game with Sam Anderson scoring his second of the season making it 2-0. At the midway point of the period the new look line of Captain Cavin Tilsley, and Air Force committed Bennett Norlin and Willie Reim went to work with Willie Reim scoring a pair of goals only 56 seconds apart from each other. That would force Clippers Head Coach and General Manager Darren Naylor to pull goaltender Jordan Naylor replacing him with Landon Pavislin. The Clippers would end the drought thanks to newcomer defesemen Devon Mussio scoring his first goal as a member of the Nanaimo Clippers to make it 4-1. Only 20 seconds later the Warriors Bennett Norlin would kill any momentum the Clippers were building scoring 13th of the year making it 5-1 going into the dressing room.

The second period the Warriors took their foot off the gas pedal allowing the Clippers to throw numerous shots on Brock Baier. The Clippers were able to score two goals in only 2:30 to cut the Warriors lead to two goals, but the Warriors would once again answer back thanks to Lucas Bahn who was able to deflect a Landon Pavislin rebound off his shin pad and into the net. The Clippers would maintain pressure throughout the period scoring a quick power play goal by Josh Bourne, making the score 6-4 heading into the dressing room.

The Warriors would need to shut the door in the third period, mainly because the two goal lead is never safe in the BCHL. Head Coach and General Manager Geoff Grimwood relied on his depth players and two way forwards to eat up the clock, but a Sam Anderson penalty late would send the Clippers back on the powerplay. During the powerplay it was Aiden Hansen-Bukata who pulled the trigger through a traffic to cut the lead to only one goal with 2:13 remaining in the third. It was a very exciting finish to the hockey game with the Clippers net empty and a play in the Warriors end. A couple shots toward Brock Baier created a massive scrum in the Warriors crease, the Clippers had not one but two opportunities with Baier looking the other way but somehow couldn’t find the back of the net, and then a deflection off a player in the crease would allow Bennett Norlin to ice the puck which just happened to go into the empty net making it 7-5 with over a minute remaining. The Warriors would hold on to win.


Shots on goal: 41-32 in favor of the Clippers.

3 Stars

  1. WKW   F Bennett Norlin    (2G-1A)
  2. WKW   F Willie Reim         (2G-2A)
  3. NAN    F Joshua Bourne   (1G-2A)

Fortis Energy Player of the Game:

NAN     F Thomas Samuelsson      (1A)

The Warriors next game is Saturday night versus the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Puck drop at 6:00pm from the Island Savings Centre in Duncan. Catch Saturday’s game and every other home and away game this season on Mixlr and Hockey TV. Just head to the Warriors website and click on the “Listen Live” column to get directed to a radio feed of each game.