Panthers edge KP Islanders in a hard-fought tilt Friday night

The Zamboni went around the cold sheet as it usually does every Friday evening but as the Peninsula Panthers were waiting for the puck to drop, there was something a bit different about the evening.  A youthful squad that was simply happy to "be here" a couple weeks ago, was not happy about that any more.  And on Friday night the group of 20 hockey players bounced out on the ice looking to get back into the win column against the visiting Kerry Park Islanders.  The Islanders had experience on their side but the Panthers felt that they could compete and compete is what they did - for the entire 60 minutes.

Outshooting the visitors by an 11-3 count in the first stanza, the only marksman was Ty Tremblay when a shot bounced off his leg and went past Islanders Goaltender Chase Anderson at the 17:31 mark.  The tally was on the power play and it took almost the entire two minutes as the five-man unit moved the puck around and around and around.  Michael Sproule and Cam "Tommy" Thompson were awarded helpers on the play.

The 2nd frame was all Panthers as the home Club outshot the visitors by a 14-4 margin and scored the only two goals of the period.  At the 7:29 mark, Captain Spencer Loverock stopped an Islanders rush at his own blueline and sped up ice with the puck.  He dished off to Kai Turner in the neutral zone however broke towards Anderson.  It appeared as though Loverock was checked however his speed put him in the open as he sped in and Turner fed a perfect pass to the smooth-skating defenceman.  Loverock fired but was stymied by Anderson however Turner continued to the net and finished the play off, knocking in the rebound.

And at the 12:58 mark it would be Turner once again who would light the lamp.  Thompson dangled at the blueline and in his own words, "I probably held the puck a little too long."  But with soft hands he managed to control the disk before feeding Sproule on the right half-wall.  Sproule saw Turner heading towards paydirt and a pretty pass and a nice tap past Anderson allowed the Panthers to celebrate once again.

The final 20 minutes seemed to be in the control of the Panthers once again however a slashing penalty to Ben Dawson sent him to the sin bin for two minutes.  And it was during that power play that the Islanders Ryan Paisely deposited a puck behind Panthers goaltender Alex Olson to break the goose egg and put the Islanders back in the hunt.  The goal came with just a little over eight minutes remaining and it would prove to be not quite enough.  Anderson was pulled for the extra attacker with 1:50 remaining however, it would be to no avail.

Perhaps the most gutsy play of the early season occured late in the 3rd period with the Panthers up two.  An Islanders defenceman coralled the puck near the blueline and blasted a shot towards Olson.  Koby Hale came out of nowhere to dive in front of the shot.  It was a fearless play and it was not lost on Head Coach Rob Mortin or the entire Panthers squad.  When Mortin addressed his troops after the game, it was the first point he brought up and it was followed by a huge cheer from the dressing room.  "Hale is a gutsy kid, he is a heart and soul player and although he is only 18-years-old, he is one of our leaders," said Mortin.  "He showed it on that play.  If his mates were watching what he was willing to do and if they are willing to do the same or give the same effort as Hale gives night in and night out, we will be a pretty good Club.

Turner, Sproule and Olson were named the game's 3-stars and they were well-deserving.  On the back end, the night was probably Spencer Loverock's best game of the season.  He was solid in his own end and took the puck from harm's way many times.

The Panthers get right back at it on Saturday.  The Club will depart Victoria around 1:30 pm and will travel to Comox to take on the Glacier Kings at 7:30 pm.  The team will then be at the Panorama Recreation Centre on Sunday from 11:00 - 4:00 pm to partake in the Kraft Hockeyville celebration tailgate party.  The Stanley Cup will be present from noon until 3:00 pm.