Anderson leads Panthers to 3-1 win over Braves to sweep home-and-home series

The Peninsula Panthers had just dispatched the Saanich Braves by a 3-1 count in their only Saturday night home date of the season and judging by the smiles on every face in the Organization, winning was clearly the choice over the alternative.  The win in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre gave the Panthers a sweep of the home-and-home series with the Braves after knocking them off at the George Pearkes Arena a night earlier in an exciting double overtime affair. 

"This was obviously our best weekend of the season to date and there were many more positives than simply picking up the four points," stated Head Coach Brad Tippett.  "We managed the ebbs and flows of the momentum and panic much better.  We played six hard periods with a very short bench in the span of 28 hours.  Our confidence and determination got better every single period."

And both confidence and determination for the group started right between the pipes and in the lap of the newest Panthers' player, Goaltender Justin Anderson.  The bulky stopper has been sensational in his first two outings with the new Club, blocking all but four of 70 shots sent his way in the two games.

On Saturday evening, the ice was greased and the players filtered onto the ice just shortly after 7:30 pm.  After the National Anthem was played, the two teams roared up and down the ice - a determined Braves squad was intent on making amends for the loss the night before.  But the Panthers and Anderson had other thoughts on how the evening would unfold and it would be the "Cats" from the Peninsula who would scratch first.  At the 11:36 mark, the suddenly-hot Ty Hermsen beat Braves' starter Riley Mathieson to draw first blood.  The power play goal was assisted by defenceman Bailey Ross.  And at the 17:19 mark of the initial stanza, Carson Cox gathered in a pass from callup Wyatt Cairns and he wired a shot at Mathieson from 30 feet out.  The puck went off the skate of Joe Stafford-Veale and screamed past a surprised Mathieson for a 2-0 lead.  Anderson denied a couple would-be Braves' marksmen and the two teams went to the intermission with the Panthers holding the two-goal lead.

It was mostly the Braves in the second period and they were rewarded at the 2:57 mark when Evan Horvath beat Anderson high to the glove side with a beautiful seeing-eye shot.  It would be the only blemish on the netminders' 60 minutes of action.

The Panthers played lockdown hockey in the final frame and limited the Braves to only five shots and only one great scoring opportunity.  But at 13:02 mark, Trevor Owens once again figured prominently in the Panthers success on the night.  After Marshall Brown, Cox and Owens cycled the puck in the corner, Owens came out and had a quality chance on Mathieson.  The puck was stopped but Owens banged the puck out of mid-air past the startled Braves' netminder.  It was the insurance marker his Club was looking for and the Panthers worked the clock playing simple and effective hockey until the buzzer. 

There was one more opportunity for Anderson to shine before he skated out after he was named the game's first star.  With only two seconds left in the game and with Mathieson on the Braves bench for an extra attacker, the puck squirted to the right of Anderson only a couple feet from the top of the crease.  He was clearly beat and a Braves' forward picked up the puck and sent it to what clearly was going to be the back of the Panthers' net.  Anderson went into a sprawl as he dove across and unbelieveably directed the disk to the corner.  His mates flooded off the bench to mob their teammate; someone who they are getting very attached to in a hurry.

Anderson blocked 25 of 26 shots while Mathieson stopped 21 of 24 Panthers' attempts.  Owens and Hermsen were the 2nd and 3rd stars respectively.

Tippett had some final thoughts as he stood just outside the Panthers' dressing room, which was buzzing.  "Looking back, the buzzer-beater and overtime heroics last night were a big step for us.  Our goaltending was more than solid which allowed our defence to become a little more aggressive.  There was one other aspect that I was really proud of.  The second period tonight woudl have to be listed as the weakest of the weekend.  We had a good chat between periods reminding everyone that we were still up 2-1 and that we were still in the driver's seat.  We juggled a couple of lines and had a really solid final 20 minutes to get the win.  We are learning to play the clock and by that I mean making smart decisions based on the score and the time of the period - making sure pucks got in deep through the neutral zone.  Tonight we learned what we had to do to make a lead stand up.  We were poised and winning collectively was more important than making a high risk or selfish play in hope of getting a goal.  Justin looked determined as well, he slammed the door closed and would not allow it to open.  It was an important weekend for our development.  We took a big step."

The Panthers head to Victoria next Thursday evening to face the Cougars and will then welcome the Cougars back into the Panorama Recreation Centre next Friday night.  The puck is set to drop at 7:30 pm.