Rebounding from a disappointing weekend in Powell River, the Cowichan Valley Capitals played a good game on Wednesday night, but had to settle for a 7-4 loss to the Nanaimo Clippers.
“They got away early on us, but I thought we played a pretty solid game,” Caps head coach Bob Beatty said. “Our guys battled back and played hard. I thought we deserved a little bit better.”
Cowichan fell behind 2-0 in the first three and a half minutes, but drew even before the end of the opening period on goals by Jared Domin and Matthew Hudie.
Josh Adkins gave the Caps their first lead of the game two minutes and seven seconds into the middle frame, but the Clippers got that back, and the teams were again tied as they went to the second intermission.
The squads traded goals just after the seven-minute mark of the third, Nanaimo scoring first and Domin potting his second of the night 13 seconds later, but the Clippers managed three unanswered goals down the stretch, including two after the Caps were assessed a five-minute major penalty for a skirmish that the Clippers escaped with a two-minute minor, and one into an empty net.
Domin, Adkins and Ryan Burton each had two points on the night, and goalie Storm Phaneuf allowed six goals on 26 shots.
The Caps begin a three-game homestead on Friday when they host the Merritt Centennials. On Saturday, they host the Chilliwack Chiefs, and next Tuesday the Victoria Grizzlies will visit.