The Cents fell in their final game of the island swing by a score of 7-0 against the Nanaimo Clippers.
The team battled hard in the early goings and didn’t show much rust from the road. Naylor stood tall for the Clippers and the lone goal came on a breakaway for Josh Bourne. Ryan Winter got the start for the Cents and came up with a couple huge stops in the first frame. Shots after 1 were 12-7 in favour of the Cents.
In the second period, the Clippers started to pull away as Bourne added two more goals for the natural hat trick. The Cents tried to turn the tide with a time out call when they were down 2-0, but a shot from Buono went off iron and the Cents didn’t get the shot in the arm they needed. By the end of the 2nd it was 5-0 Clippers. Shots after 2 were 21-20 Cents.
The final frame saw the Clippers show they were the fresher team as the Cents couldn’t get the legs engaged. They’d add a couple more to make it a 7-0 final. Final shots were 31-30 Nanaimo.
After the game, Head Coach Sweet-Coulter said the team just lost the legs when they couldn’t crack Naylor.
“In a game like that you’re fighting for something, and when you don’t get rewarded it’s hard to get that jolt of energy.”
The Cents will look to recharge the batteries ahead of a 4 game week. Powell River Wednesday, a double header against the West Kelowna Warriors on Friday and Saturday, and the final game before Christmas on Sunday.
