Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Nanaimo Clippers – 5
Langley Rivermen – 4 (OT)
Sean Donaldson scored the overtime winner, his second of the game, at the midway mark of the extra frame as the Nanaimo Clippers took Game 3 from the Langley Rivermen 5-4 to push their opponents to the brink of elimination in the Coastal Conference Finals.
Nanaimo’s Charles Tardiff scored the first goal of the game at 13:02 of the opening period, but Vitaly Levyy’s third of the postseason tied the game for Langley and, most importantly, was their first goal of the series and the first that Clippers goalie Cooper Black had allowed since the first period of Game 3 of the second round.
With the score tied 1-1 at intermission, Langley pounced in the second period, scoring twice on goals by Ryan Upson and Tyler Schleppe to take a 3-1 lead. The Clippers looked to be heading to the break down by two, but scored twice in the final minute, just 23 seconds apart, when Kai Daniells and Brody Waters each scored on the power play to make it 3-3 after two.
Donaldson gave Nanaimo the lead with eight minutes to go in the final frame, but Riley Wallack scored shortly after to tie the game at four and force overtime.
The Clippers outshot the Rivermen 7-6 in OT and finally won it when Donaldson one-timed a cross-crease pass from Tristan Fraser past Langley goalie Ajeet Gundarah.
Nanaimo defenceman Jack O’Brien had three assists in this contest and was named first star of the game.
With the win, the Clippers remain undefeated in the playoffs and improve their record to 11-0 overall. They will have a chance to clinch the series and advance to the Fred Page Cup Finals on Wednesday night.
