Brooks Bandits Push Clippers to 3-1 Lead After Game 4 OT Win
The brooks bandits pushed the Nanaimo Clippers to the edge of elimination with a 2-1 overtime win in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Nanaimo entered Game 5 of the BC Hockey League Final trailing 3-1, with Friday night carrying the weight of a series that has already turned into a chase.
Frank Crane Arena Held 2,500
About 2,500 fans packed Frank Crane Arena for Game 4, and they watched the Clippers lose on home ice after the Bandits outlasted them in overtime. The result left Nanaimo needing to win three straight against the top-rated team from Alberta and the Interior Conference champions.
For a club established 54 years ago, the run has carried a different kind of energy. The Clippers had not won the BCHL finals in 19 years, and the building carried that history through a game that stayed tight until the extra period decided it.
Owen Stanley on Nanaimo
Owen Stanley said, “Yes, this is their Canucks,” and added, “This is a dream come true for a lot of kids and we’re happy to have them here.” His comments matched the scene inside the rink, where longtime supporters treated the final like a rare chance to see Nanaimo this deep into the postseason.
Paul Merriman captured that feeling from the stands: “It’s times like this that it all comes together. We’re pretty excited” He also said, “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” Kurtis Merriman added, “Yeah it’s pretty special that I can do this with my dad”
Clippers’ Young Core
There is a second layer to Nanaimo’s run that goes beyond the scoreline. In July 2025, eight Clippers players were invited to 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.
Doug Oliver, a longtime Clippers fan, said, “I went to school with a bunch of the guys on the first team, and have followed them ever since” Friday night’s Game 5 put that following into its sharpest form yet: Nanaimo had to answer after the overtime loss, and the crowd at Frank Crane Arena had already shown it was ready for the fight.
