#19, 18-year-old Michael Sproule cuts to the Victoria Cougars net on Friday. Sproule and his mates were tied 3-3 with eight minutes to go but ended up on the wrong side of a 6-3 count when the final buzzer sounded. (Photo by Gordon Lee Photography)
Injuries and a couple late game lapses made all the difference in a pair of weekend games.
The Peninsula Panthers are a young, speedy and talented group that look to be on the verge of breaking out in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. Perhaps youth and experience are hurting the Club for the time being but most involved with the Panthers believe there will be a turn in fortunes very soon.
On Friday night the Panthers held a 3-1 lead over the Victoria Cougars after 20 minutes were in the books on a pair of goals by Cam Thompson and a single by Marty Westhaver however the two were knotted at 3-3 after the 2nd stanza. And with only eight minutes to go and the game up for grabs, an older Cougars squad stepped it up just a notch or two and skated to a 6-3 win.
The story was much the same on Saturday night in Mill Bay. Tied 1-1 after 40 minutes, the Islanders snapped in two quick markers and that would be all she wrote as the home squad skated to 3-1 win. Thompson was the lone marksman for the Panthers.
"It's not really a head scratcher at all," explained Owner Pete Zubersky. "I have seen this many , many times. Most of the Clubs in the League are a full two years older that we are. Our guys are just learning to step up the level of play and we are very close to turning the corner and putting on the gas. I think we all can see it."
The Panthers were playing without some key bodies in both the Friday and Saturday games. On Friday 17-year-olds Michael Neale and Matt Forbes were out for a variety of ailments while on Saturday Neale and Forbes were joined by Trevor Owens and Westhaver with injuries and Ty Tremblay who was serving a one-game suspension from a late hit in the game on Friday. Owens and Tremblay are expected back this weekend while Forbes is questionable and this week of practice should tell the tale. Westhaver and Neale are doubtful.
The Panthers will face the Islanders back in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night with the puck set to drop at 7:30 pm. The Club will then travel up to Comox on Saturday to face off against the Glacier Kings. On Sunday the players will join in on the Hockeyville celebrations at the Panorama and will be playing road hockey with kids in attendance. They then plan to have a team photo with the Stanley Cup which will be on site for three hours on Sunday.
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