A span of 59 seconds in the second period made all the difference as the Cowichan Valley Capitals fell to the Nanaimo Clippers by a 3-2 final score in B.C. Hockey League action at Frank Crane Arena on Friday night.
The Caps led 2-1 at the midpoint of the second, but the host Clippers tied the score at the 13:32 mark, then went ahead for good at 14:31.
Former Capital Ethan Scardina opened the scoring for Nanaimo early in the first, but Niko Selivanov-Esposito tied things up, and the teams went to the first intermission locked at 1-1. Cole Broadhurst’s first goal of the season gave the Caps the lead at 7:24 of the second.
Cowichan goalie Jack Grant made 21 saves on 24 shots. Nanaimo’s Jordan Naylor stopped 28 of 30 Capitals scoring attempts.
The Caps remain last in the Island Division with a 6-16-2-1 record.
The Island rivals will meet again at the Island Savings Centre on Tuesday to play the second half of the home-and-home series.