Cochrane back in the game and flying high!

Twenty-year-old Duncan Cochrane has a passion for flying.  He also has a passion for the game of hockey.  For the past two years the youngster found it impossible to juggle his schedule to support both passions and he decided that hockey would have to wait.  Cochrane worked on obtaining his commercial pilots licence while storing his hockey gear in mothballs in his garage.

This season his younger brother Holden cracked the Peninsula Panthers lineup and the highly-skilled forward has been getting better each and every day.  The opportunity for Duncan to play with his brother, combined with a load that was becoming lighter in his studies, prompted him to consider the game in his last several months of Junior eligibility.  Cochrane was signed on Thursday afternoon and played that night in Victoria and again on Friday evening at the Panorama Recreation Centre.

"I have always loved the way Duncan played the game," explained General Manager Pete Zubersky.  "He tried out here in our Spring Camp when he was only 17 and made the squad.  But Duncan decided to go a different route.  He then signed with the Westshore Wolves the following season and I think he had four points in five games.  But he left the Wolves to focus on a career in flying and I always thought that it would have been great if he could have come out here to play.  Our Captain, Josh Poland mentioned to Duncan a couple weeks ago that he should consider coming back, and things took off from there.  It will take a month to completely knock off all the rust but by the New Year, fans will love his play.  More importantly, he is an awesome person and a leader and I know that his presence in the dressing room will be impactful, especially for our young guys."

Cochrane and his new mates ran into some penalty trouble on Friday night and the visiting Victoria Cougars capitalized by putting four power play goals on the board.   The game was scoreless throughout the first frame, but the Cougars took a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes and then pulled away in the final stanza, knocking off the Panthers 7-2. 

Playing on a line with the newest addition to the Panthers and his brother, Holden Cochrane waltzed off the half wall in the Cougars' end late in the 2nd period and ripped a high shot that found nothing but net.  And Drew Coughlin scored midway through the final frame on the power play to round out the scoring for the Panthers.

Coach Brad Tippett addressed his squad after the game and then the post-game ritual began.  The players peeled off their equipment, showered and began to pack up their gear.  Some spoke of plans for the weekend while engaged in small talk with teammates.  It was a feeling that Duncan Cochrane has known for many years as he grew up eating and breathing the game.  And now for the last half of the season he will be doing it once again.

"We are really happy for Duncan and in speaking with him I know that he is really pleased to be able to do this.  He is a quality young man," said Zubersky.

The Panthers will not play at home until after Christmas when they host the Kerry Park Islanders on Wednesday, December 28th.  They will then welcome in the Westshore Wolves two days later.  There is still some business before the Christmas break and the Team will travel to Saanich next Friday night to take on the Braves.