Missed opportunities cost the Penticton Vees against the Nanaimo Clippers Saturday night in BCHL action at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Vees fired 46 shots at Clippers goalie Evan DeBrouwer and he stopped them all. It’s the first time this season the Vees are shut out and their first loss on home ice in a 3-0 defeat.
The Vees fired 10 shots at DeBrouwer in the opening period and had some missed opportunities including an early one by Chris Klack on a wraparound attempt on an empty side. Then just before the period ended captain Nicholas Jones whiffed on a chance in the Clippers crease.
Vees coach-general manager Fred Harbinson didn’t like the opening period, but felt things got better in the second.
“I thought we had a good second, then we make a mistake (in the third) and they capitalize,” said Harbinson, referring to the goal by Will LeNeave to make it 2-0. “At one point I think we are outshooting them mid-30 something to 10 and they are beating us 2-0. One of those games where we couldn’t score and they got their timely goals and played a good road game.”
The Vees doubled the Clippers in shots 18-9 in the third. Jones missed another early chance, then they smacked the post. Harbinson said his team needs to find ways to finish.
“We had a couple of open nets early in the game. You got to bear down, you got to score,” he said.
“That’s why I preach at it in practice about scoring in practice. You score in practice you are going to
score in games.”
Harbinson said that DeBrouwer, the games first star, played a “hell of a game.”
The loss snaps the Vees nine-game win streak and gives them a record of 11-2-0, while the Clippers improved to 7-5-1.