Despite being at half-strength, the Michigan Connection was firing on all cylinders for the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Wednesday night in a 3-1 win over the Clippers in Nanaimo.
Centre Jared Domin and defenceman Josh Owings, two of the Caps’ four Michigan-born skaters — the other two, John Sladic and Michael Montambault, were sidelined with injuries on Wednesday — combined for four points against the Clippers.
Domin scored the tying goal in the first period and set up Nick Guerra’s game-winner in the second, while Owings assisted on Domin’s marker and on Rhett Kingston’s empty-netter with 10 seconds left in the game.
Lane Michasiw was nearly perfect between the pipes, stopping 28 of 29 shots, while Nanaimo netminder Evan DeBrouwer allowed two goals on 23 shots.
Domin’s goal was his eighth of the season, putting him one back of Max Newton for the team lead, while Guerra’s was his first in the B.C. Hockey League this year, although he sits comfortably atop the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League scoring race with 21 goals and eight helpers in just 14 games for the Saanich Braves.
With the victory on Wednesday, the Caps moved into a tie with the Victoria Grizzlies for first place in the Island Division. Both teams have 19 points, although the Grizzlies have a game in hand.
Powell River sits third with 18 points, while the Clippers have 17. The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are last with nine points.
The Caps are back on the road this Friday as they visit the Bulldogs, and they return home on Saturday to host the Langley Rivermen at the Island Savings Centre at 7 p.m.