Panthers play well enough to win twice but drop two big weekend games

"We worked hard and smart in both games this weekend," said Panthers GM Pete Zubersky.  "We outshot the Nanaimo Buccaneers 41-26 and lost 4-1.  We outshot the Kerry Park Islanders 38-24 and lost 4-2.  We have played really well over the past ten games or so and deserve a way better record.  Our guys have to get traffic in front of the other guys goaltender.  If we don't do it, we will continue to lose with scores like we saw this weekend.  It is so simple, guys just have to want to do it.  If we do we can win and go a long way.  If we don't we can put away the skate sharpener, it's that simple."

On Friday night Blake Wood solved the Panthers making a number of outstanding saves.  And the Bucs capitalized on their opportunities even though they did not have a lot of them.  The lone marksman for the Panthers was Josh Lingard but it was painfully obvious to everyone in the building that Wood was able to pick cherries for most of the night on shots  that would have been dangerous if there was a commitment to get traffic to the net.  Wood stopped 40 of 41 shots.

And the story on Saturday evening in Mill Bay played out in much the same way.  The Kerry Park Islanders goaltender Chase Anderson picked a whole bunch of cherries as well and he backstopped his squad to a 4-2 win.  Anderson stopped 36 of 38 shots. Panthers goals came off the sticks of Riley Braun and Tanner Wort, both on the power play.  

"The power play looked  good," said Zubersky.  The kids ticked-tacked-toed it nicely and managed to put two behind Anderson.  But when it's time for meat and potatoe hockey at even strength we want to stay on the outside.  It's easy to see and it's frustrating."

Coach Brad Tippett was obviously disappointed when speaking about the game and about his troops outside the dressing room shortly after the final buzzer went off.  "I would not have believed anyone who told me that we would get zero points after firing 79 shots and giving up only 50 over the two games.  It is disappointing but we just have to keep going.  We played well enough and deserved to win both games.  Next week is critical.  We have to do whatever we need to do to go out and score goals.  When pucks aren't going in any defensive mistakes are magnified."

The Panthers trail the Westshore Wolves by three points and both teams have five games left after the weekend is in the books.  The two Clubs will go head-to-head at the Q-Centre on Wednesday and then will be right back at it on Friday night, this time at the Panorama Recreation Centre.