Teams let loose 20-goal barrage

PENINSULA NEWS REVIEW - Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Peninsula Panthers score nine times but Westshore pumps in 11 goals

NORTH SAANICH - One doesn't often see high-scoring hockey games but the Peninsula Panthers' match against the Westshore Wolves Friday, Oct. 30 saw 20 goals between the two teams.

Westshore jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in a fast-paced first period and from all accounts at that stage, nothing appeared out of the norm.  The fans filed into the lobby area for refreshments and fellowship at the end of 20 minutes and the two teams went over strategies in their locker rooms.

As soon as the puck was dropped to start the second frame, the game changed drastically.  When the final buzzer sounded, players, coaches, referees and fans were all talking about a game that was like no other.

The Panthers' Josh Poland tied the game up for the Panthers only 1:23 into the second stanza.  That started a scoring free-for-all that ended at the 19:50 mark on a Wolves' tally by Cory Hatcher.  It was Hatcher’s third goal of the period and capped off an eight-goal spree for his club.  The Panthers scored five of their own with Michael Sproule, Kai Turner, Ryan Warner and Cam Thompson adding to Poland’s earlier marker.

At the end of the period, the Wolves were up, 9-5.  It appeared as though the game for all intents and purposes was decided.

The Wolves opened up a 10-5 lead on an unassisted goal by Matteo Giomo at the 2:06 mark of the final period but then the ghosts of Halloween popped up once again.

Koby Hale, Trevor Owens, Turner and Thompson all scored to bring the Panthers within a goal at 10-9 with 5:36 remaining in this crazy affair.  The crowd was roaring with every opportunity as the Panthers swarmed in an attempt to knot the game at 10-10. 

With only two minutes left, Panthers rookie Ben Dawson found himself eight feet from the Wolves' cage with not a player in sight including the Wolves’ goaltender Leighton Williams.  Dawson's shot somehow came off his stick at a strange angle and, unbelievably, missed the yawning cage.

The Panthers continued to apply pressure and with just over a minute remaining, pulled goaltender Shawn Parkinson for the extra attacker.  The hometown squad buzzed the Wolves' net but with only 38 seconds remaining, Westshore's Jacob Malloch cleared the zone and raced end to end to score the insurance marker and nail down an 11-9 Wolves win.

“It was a mistake-filled game,” explained Pete Zubersky, Panthers' general manager and assistant coach.  “Our kids were down to four defenceman for almost the entire game and I think they simply ran out of gas."  "Spencer Loverock went up to play with the Grizzlies and with Garnett Roberts out of the lineup and Matt Forbes letting us know in warmup that he had an injury, we were really short-staffed back there," Zubersky continued.  "But I was proud of our kids tonight.  We were down by five goals and never once quit."

WWe actually should have won the game as we out-chanced them all night and outshot them 44-31.  I have never been involved in a game like that one, I don’t think any of the players had either.”

The Panthers' next action is Friday night when they play host to the Campbell River Storm at 7:30 p.m.

                                             - Peninsula News Review staff