The Nanaimo Clippers and their thousands of fans at home are holding on to hope and fighting for a win Friday night as they enter Game 5 in the BC Hockey League Final.
The team is behind 3-1 in the series, behind the Brooks Bandits, after losing 2-1 in overtime in Wednesday night’s Game 4.
But fans have filled Nanaimo’s Frank Crane Arena regardless, showing a decades-long love for their team.
Wednesday night, the Clippers hosted the Bandits in Nanaimo for Game 4 of the series. Father and son season ticket holders Paul and Kurtis Merriman said there wasn’t a chance they were going to miss the game.
“Yeah it’s pretty special that I can do this with my dad,” Kurtis says.
“It’s times like this that it all comes together. We’re pretty excited,” says Paul.
It was standing room only for many spectators at Wednesday night’s game, as 2,500 fans packed the Nanaimo family-filled arena with people of all ages and backgrounds, all focused on one unifying goal, to cheer on their hometown team.
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“Why go to Vancouver, right? Support your local team. It’s the same atmosphere – actually it’s better, because these kids playing, they’re putting their hearts on the line for these games,” adds Paul.
“Yes, this is their Canucks,” says Owen Stanley, spokesman for the Nanaimo Clippers. “This is a dream come true for a lot of kids and we’re happy to have them here.”
The Clippers team is made up of teenage athletes with promising talents that could make the NHL.
In July 2025, the Clippers announced that eight of its players had been invited to participated in NHL professional development camps, including Tim Washe with the Anaheim Ducks, Matt Lahey with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Isa Parekh with the Calgary Flames, Vladimir Nikitin with the Ottawa Senators, Rémi Gélinas with the Vegas Golden Knights, Brody Waters with the Los Angeles Kings, Sean Barnhill with the New York Rangers, and Nick DeSantis with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Fans of all ages and backgrounds gathered to cheer on the Clippers Wednesday night. (CHEK News).
But for now and this season, this team is Nanaimo’s.
The Nanaimo Clippers BCHL team was established 54 years ago and for many of the longtime fans, the team is like family.
Doug Oliver is a longtime Clippers fan. “I went to school with a bunch of the guys on the first team, and have followed them ever since,” he says.
It’s been 19 years since the Clippers have won the BCHL finals.
In this BCHL final, they’re up against the top-rated Brooks Bandits from Alberta, the Interior Conference Champions.
“Nanaimo truly is a hockey city, and they have a passion for hockey,” says Stanley.
Friday night, the Clippers and fans will face the Bandits in Game 5 of the BCHL Finals, and down 3-1 in the playoffs, they’ll need all the cheering they can get. They’ll be playing in Alberta’s house at the Centennial Regional Arena.
The puck drops at 6 p.m. PT.
For the complete schedule and stats of the Clippers, visit the NanaimoClippers.
– With files from CHEK’s Liz Brown
SEE ALSO: Nanaimo’s Matthew Wood plays first NHL game in B.C. against Canucks
