Panthers suffer double-overtime heartbreaking 4-3 loss

After giving a lackluster performance in a 7-3 drubbing at the hands of the Westshore Wolves on Thursday evening, a different Peninsula Panthers squad appeared on the ice at home at the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night.  And playing one of the best Clubs in the VIJHL North Division, a hard-working group looked like they were coasting to a win late in the 3rd period.

The visiting Comox Valley Glacier Kings braved some cold temperatures and snow flurries on their trip down Island but looked fully warmed up when the puck dropped just after 7:30 pm.  Both teams sped up and down the ice in a fast and highly-entertaining 1st period and it would be the Glacier Kings who would stike first.  With only 1:17 to play in the opening frame, a wristshot from the point seemed destined to go over the net however, the visitors' Sheldon Brett deflected it down and past a startled Alex Olson between the pipes for the Panthers.  The shot seemed to be redirected off the glove of Brett however, the officials did not see it that way and awarded him the goal. 

The sheet was greased up once again and it was almost all Panthers in the middle frame.  At the 6:44 mark, 16-year-old rookie Conner Mowatt circled the Glacier Kings net after being fed by Nathan Looysen and the youngster made no mistake putting the puck past the visitors' netminder Zack Straza to knot the game at 1-1.  Brett Sjerven drew the second helper on the play.  And only 18 seconds later and before the fans had a a chance to sit back in their seats, the hard-working Drayson Lum tallied to give the Panthers the lead for the first time in the game.  Cody Allison and Keifer Evans were awarded assists on the play.  But the scorekeeper had more work to do - only 13 seconds after Lum's marker, it would be Glacier Kings Franco Colapaolo who would tie the game once again sending an unassisted shot from the corner of the rink that deflected past Olson; probably a shot that he would liked to have back.  It was time for Mowatt to get back into the act.  After a couple highlight moves by the slick puck-handling Looysen, he dished a pass to Mowatt who was left alone in front of Straza.  And the big forward made no mistake once again giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead with 40 minutes in the books.

The Panthers suffered some injury and equipment problems leaving them several players short in the 3rd stanza however, looked to have the game completely in control.  But with just over five minutes remaining, a miscue behind the Panthers net gave the Glacier Kings possession and a quick pass out front to Dylan Sampson would spell disaster.  Sampson made no mistake and deposited the puck behind Olson to tie the game up once again and that is how it remained when the buzzer sounded. 

The 1st overtime solved nothing and at the 2:13 mark of the 2nd overtime period, a turnover deep inside the Panthers end left Brett all alone on Olson.  Brett beat the netminder cleanly and sent a nice crowd heading to the exits.

Olson blocked 22 of 26 shots thrown at him by the Glacier Kings while Straza was just a bit better stopping 26 of 29 Peninsula Panthers attempts.  For his first two-goal game in Junior Hockey, Mowatt was awarded the game's 1st star.  Brett and Looysen were the other two stars respectively.

"We played hard after a debacle on Thursday night against the Wolves," explained Coach Rob Mortin.  "I thought for the most part our guys competed hard, blocked shots and showed the will that they have shown over the past six or seven weeks.  I thought we were going to cruise to the final buzzer with the win, but that is how the game works sometimes.  The effort is there and when it is, we will win games.  We let this one slip away on us tonight but we will be ready for the Wolves when they come in here next Thursday."

The Panthers host the Westshore Wolves next Thursday evening and will not be playing their usual home game on Friday night due to a group from Saltspring Island who will be using most of the facility.  The game on THURSDAY at the Panorama Recreation Centre will be at the usual 7:30 pm start time.