Friday night in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre proved to be yet another exciting barnburner with a bit of overtime to boot. And it once again ended in an exciting 5-4 win for the Peninsula Panthers over the visiting Saanich Braves after a nifty move by forward Tanner Wort to beat a Saanich defender before snapping a shot past the visitor's starter Chris Combiadakis at the 2:50 mark of the 1st Overtime frame. And yes, the heart-stopping win allowed the Panthers to continue their astounding 8-game winning streak on home ice and this certainly was not lost on the 311 fans in attendance on a warm November 9th evening on the Saanich Peninsula. As the people filtered out of the arena just before 10:00 pm there was a lot of buzz about the game that had just played out on the big white canvas but there was also a lot of chatter about World War 2 veteran 98-year-old Peter Chance and his stirring speech before the game in an on-ice ceremony. His words gave all in attendance a chance to ponder where we would be without the veterans whose deeds allow us to live in one of the best Nations in the world and allow us all to enjoy the freedoms that many around the world can only dream of having. Commander Chance will turn 98 on November 24 and the Club already has plans to have him back next year and the year after that and the year after that!
The Panthers and Braves had played two previous games both at the George Pearkes Arena in Saanich coming into the VIJHL affair, and both had a win to show for their efforts. And as the ice was greased and as the fans began to settle into their seats, there was clearly an anticipation in the air for the game which was about to unfold. The Panthers had been riding high on home ice, albeit, road wins were at a premium. And the Braves were a Club that had been white-hot to start the Regular Season but lately had seemed to come back to earth just a bit. The local "Cats" had been involved in 6 overtime games coming into Friday night and the game would prove to be their league-leading 7th.
After a heart-warming opening ceremony to highlight Remembrance Day and our veterans, the puck was dropped and both Clubs began the Friday night ritual. The players raced up and down the ice. Pucks and bodies bounced off the boards and glass and Combiadakis and Panthers' starter Connor McKillop kicked out most of the pucks directed their way. When the first 20 minutes were in the books, the Panthers led 3-2 although with a dominating period might have deserved just a little bit more. Riley Braun intercepted an errant pass deep in the Braves' end at the 8:26 mark and he quickly powered a shot past Combiadakis and to the back of the Braves' cage to open the scoring. At the 15:25 mark, towering defenceman Scott Arbuckle won a battle for the puck in the neutral zone and moved it to the streaking Jack Taylor for the Panthers. Taylor went around a Braves' defenceman like he was standing still and made no mistake to stretch the well-deserved lead to two. But it appeared as though some of the Panthers quickly forgot what got them the lead and some sloppy play allowed Braves' Cameron LeSergent and Dale McCabe to each put a tally on the board, McCabe's coming at the 17:58 mark. Just 33 seconds later, Bryson Hines battled to get the puck and with nothing short of a power move, simply willed the puck past Combiadakis to give the locals the lead going into the intermission.
After the break, Braves' Zach Guerra knotted the game at 3-3 but it was time once again for Braun to dawn the cape with the big "S" on the front. At the 5:01 point in the 2nd stanza, Panthers' leading scorer Josh Lingard corralled the puck behind the visitor's net and deftly put it right onto the tape of Braun who was stationed 15 feet out in the low slot area. And when the puck arrived courtesy of Lingard, Braun knew what to do and knew when to do it. His wrist shot out-matched Combiadakis and the Panthers once again took the lead at 4-3. It lasted until the 18:31 mark when Braves' defender Jake Wilhelm gathered in the puck at the right point in the Panthers' end and let a wrist shot go from just inside the blueline. The disk found its way to McKillop and drifted by him to leave the two clubs tied once again going into the 2nd intermission, this time at 4-4.
The third frame solved absolutely nothing, although quality chances and quality saves on both ends were available for the viewing. After the customary 2-minute break after Regulation, the stage was set for the Wort heroics.
Coach Brad Tippett was happy to extend the home winning streak and had some special guests in attendance which added to his enjoyment on the evening. His mother, brother Dave from Seattle, and sister Wendy from Saskatoon were at the game, all getting together for Wendy's birthday. And what better place for the Tippett family to celebrate the birthday than at the rink. Dave Tippett came to the dressing room, was introduced to the Club by Coach Brad Tippett and then shared a few words with the players.
Brad Tippett on the game. "The weird puck bounces are supposed to even out as the season wears on. If that’s the case, we should be in for a slew of goals for us. I commented to assistant coaches Matt Chester and Jackson Skerratt that it felt like we should be up about 5-2 and yet it was 4-4 at the end of regulation. The Braves' top two lines included three 20-year-olds...experience brings efficiency in the scoring areas around the net.
Riley Braun has played some fantastic hockey for our team. Tonight might have been his best. He absolutely dominated the ice with an unmatched work ethic.
It was good to have Visscher and Hines back from illness after both missed the last game at the Q Centre. The absence of the string physical forecheck the Beef line usually provides is evident and was missing on Wednesday in Westshore. I am hoping the intensity of all these OT games will help us down the road."
The Panthers will strap them up next Friday night when they host the Victoria Cougars for a 7:30 pm start.
Commander Peter Chance
Born: November 24, 1920
98 years young and going strong!
Lest we forget.........
.jpg)
Email
Print
