Panthers advance on Loverock's double-overtime winner!

What a game!  What a series!

The Peninsula Panthers sent the Westshore Wolves packing when they knocked off their crosstown rivals right in their own barn on Wednesday evening at the Q Centre in Colwood.  Although the series went six games - Panthers winning 4-2 - at times it seemed more like sixteen as the six games took more turns than the world's biggest roller coaster.  But in the end, it was 20-year-old Peninsula Panthers Captain Spencer Loverock who would notch the winner after he gathered in the puck in the neutal zone, raced down the right side and blasted a shot from the top of the circle to the left of Wolves starter Chris Smith.  The puck went through the big netminder and set off a wild celebration as the tally was not only the game winner but was the series winner.  Loverock had also scored the winner in Game 5 on Monday night.

"I have been involved in a lot of long series," explained Pete Zubersky.  "Somehow this one seemed more like a grind than most of them.  We all knew in our room that it was not going to be easy, that it was going to go six or seven games, but each game seemed like such a struggle.  One minute you were out of the game and the next minute you were back in it.  It was a crazy series but we are young and this will help our kids understand just a bit better what it takes."

The Panthers players arrived at the Q Centre on a rainy evening and although it was a bit wet and nasty outside, it was hot and nasty inside.  The Wolves scored the only goal of the initial stanza when at 12:44, Branden Tangney beat Panthers netminder Alex Olson with a shot from the top of the left circle.  It would be the only goal Olson would allow in 75:56 of regulation and overtime action.

It was the Panthers' turn to score the only goal in the middle frame.  Defenceman Mitch Moloney grabbed a puck and sped down the right side and walked right in on Smith as he lead a 3-on-1.  Moloney roofed a shot over Smith and found nothing but net to knot the score.  At the 15:51 mark, all hell broke loose at the Panthers' goal crease.  Olson was hit by a Wolves forward and it drew the attention of everyone on the ice from both teams.  When the smoke had cleared, the penalties were all off-setting but the game clearly had a lot of emotion as the stakes were high.

Both teams exchanged some great scoring opportunities in the 3rd period and then again in the first overtime frame however, neither Club could solve Olson or Smith. 

The ice was greased and just with just under six minutes to go and on the Panthers 50th shot of the game on Smith, the Wolves went racing to the closet for their golf clubs.  "I am really proud of our players, really proud," said a beaming Head Coach Rob Mortin.  "We were having fun tonight, we believe that you "Play" hockey.  It's a game and tonight I think we all had that figured out.  Lots of these kids are learning to feel what it's like to win and this was a big step for our Club tonight."

"Rob Mortin did a great job tonight, in this series and all season long," said Zubersky.  "No coach that I know cares more than Bombay.  He wears his heart on his sleeve.  I believe that Robbie is a great coach and hopefully he starts to get the credit he deserves.  I have watched our Club continue to improve and improve, at one point we had six wins in 20 games.  We have improved dramatically.  Hat's off to Morts tonight."

Olson blocked 33 of 34 shots sent his way and was the contest's 2nd star while Loverock picked up the 1st star selection.  Smith was the busier of the two tenders stopping 48 of 50 shots sent his way by the Panthers and was named the contest's 3rd Star. 

In other VIJHL action on Wednesday evening, the Campbell River Storm pasted the Saanich Braves at the George Pearkes Arena by a 9-1 count ending the Braves season as well.  The Storm were full value for their 4-2 series win.

The Storm will advance against the Nanaimo Buccaneers in the North Division Final while the Peninsula Panthers will take on the league-leading Victoria Cougars in the South Division showdown. 

The Panthers and Cougars Best-of-7 series has now been set with the following dates:

Thursday, March 10    Panthers @ Cougars
Friday, March 11         Cougars @ Panthers
Sunday, March 13       Panthers @ Cougars
Monday, March 14      Cougars @ Panthers
Thursday, March 17    Panthers @ Cougars (if required)
Friday, March 18         Cougars @ Panthers  (if required)
Sunday, March 20       Panthers @ Cougars  (if required)