Panthers rack up 3rd win in a row at home, albeit, it took Overtime to get the job done!

18-year-old Goaltender Alex Olson had just racked up his 1st win as a member with the Peninsula Panthers and he could not have been happier.  The 2nd star blocked 28 of 29 shots and was named the 2nd star of the contest; one that took until 4:13 of the extra stanza before the winner was scored on a blast from Panthers Captain Reece Costain.  And as the team celebrated, Olson appeared to have the biggest smile and one that would simply not go away.  It was his 2nd start for his new Club, the first one coming in Saanich on Wednesday night when he was the hard-luck loser as the Braves narrowly edged the Panthers by a 1-0 count.  But Olson and his mates would not be denied this time and when Costain hit paydirt to give the Club an exciting 2-1 win, nobody was happier than the young 18-year-old goaltender.

"I spoke to Alex's father Chris who had come to the Island from Langley to watch and support his son and he was just as excited as his boy," said Pete Zubersky.  "The youngster has battled through a ton of adversity over the last 12 months, a lot of disappointment.  But somehow I think that tonight left a lot of that in the rearview mirror.  I am happy for the Olson family that Alex has finally found a home and I am happy for our Club.  We worked our tails off tonight and we have done that for a lot of games in a row and finally we are starting to get rewarded for the effort."

The game had an ominous start for the Club when at the 2:35 mark of the 1st frame some weak defensive play allowed a Braves forward to walk off the wall and into the slot.  Braves Captain Dane Ellison somehow managed to beat Olson who would probably have liked to have the shot back on a redo however, it would be the last puck that would beat him on the night.  And it did not take long for the Panthers to counter when less than four minutes later at the 7:18 mark, 17-year-old Trevor Owens appeared to lose possession of the puck when all alone on Braves stopper Brandon Ward.  But Owens had the last laugh when he gathered the puck back in, went around a prone Ward and moving to the forehand deposited the puck into the empty net.  And that would end the scoring in regulation. 

Both teams exchanged several great chances but nothing would be decided in regulation.  And that set the stage for Costain and the winner.  As the rugged forward romped down the left side, a Braves defenceman appeared to have an angle to prevent Costain from going in alone.  But to the surprise of everyone including Ward, he wound up and just past the top of the left circle to Ward's right Costain let a blast go that beat the netminder high on his glove side.  The goal was a sight for sore eyes and it set up a Halloween celebration that was.....well.....spoooktacular!  Costain and Olson and the rest of the Panthers all arrived together in a huge ball to celebrate the winner.  They then saluted the Halloween crowd at Centre Ice before heading off the ice to a standing ovation.

Ward blocked 33 of 35 shots and was collared with the loss.  Costain was named as the contest's 1st star while lanky defenceman Kyle Richardson was selected as the 3rd star.  Richardson was full marks for the pick as he was solid all night long and dished out no less than three bone-crunching hits in the 3rd stanza alone.

"I met with our two goaltenders - Olson and Jacob Krupp - before the game and told them that for the next ten games it was win and you're in," explained Zubersky.  "Olson will be in goal when we head up Island and if he can keep it going in the win department he will get the start next Friday at home.  I want our goaltenders to support each other and care for the other guy but I also want a healthy competition for the starter on this Club."

The Panthers will have a week of practice before travelling to Nanaimo on Thursday night to take on the Buccaneers.  They will then return to the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre next Friday night where they will host the Campbell River Storm; the final visit of the season for their North Island foe.  And the Club will be back in Campbell River next Sunday for the back end of a home-and-home series for an afternoon game.