Panthers top injury-riddled Storm 5-2

November 8th, 2019
North Saanich, British Columbia

The Campbell River Storm made the long trek down the Island Highway on Friday afternoon and arrived at the Panorama Recreation Centre around 5:30 pm; two hours before the puck was set to drop in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League action against the Peninsula Panthers.  The Storm had a handful of regulars out of the lineup due to various injuries and a suspension, while the Panthers were missing one of the top forwards in the VIJHL in Matt Sparrow.  But when their Iron Lung pulled out of the parking lot shortly after 10:00 pm and after another 60 minutes were in the books between the two Clubs, the Storm would not be taking any points home but probably just some macaroni and cheese.  They had fallen 5-2 to the Panthers with their 3rd loss in as many games against the Cats from the Peninsula.

Josh Lingard opened the scoring midway through the first frame when he solved the visitor's stopper Aaron de Kok. Linemates Tanner Wort and Riley Braun were in on the goal. But the lead was short-lived when at the 10:54 mark, Brax Klassen knotted the game at 1-1.  One could argue where Klassen sits with the best forwards on the Storm but there can be no disagreement that he has one of, if not the best, hockey names in the business.  Panthers' starter Connor McKillop and de Kok both held the fort for the duration of the period and the teams headed to the intermission with nothing solved.

The Panthers seemed to control the game most of the way but it would be 16-year-old Luc Pelletier who put the Panthers in front once again while out killing a penalty at the 11:14 mark.  It was a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.  Pelletier stripped a Storm player high on the half wall in the offensive end and he then waltzed in all alone on de Kok.  He made a move and slid along the top of the crease as the Storm netminder went down to protect the lower half.  Pelletier then gently tossed the puck on his backhand to the top of the cage in what was a move well beyond his years.  And the goal seemed to ignite the Panthers and the crowd as the energy could be felt in the building.  Lingard kept the momentum going when he scored again from the low slot at the 12:27 mark with assist going to Wort and 6'4 defenceman Alexander Benger.  But the building went silent ten seconds later when the Storm won the faceoff after the Lingard marker, walked into the Panthers' end, and landed the puck behind McKillop.  The puck was centred out front to Brendan Murray and he slid a shot past the Panthers' starter to put the Storm back in the game at 3-2.  The score would hold through 40 minutes.

The final stanza was all Panthers as they dominated the play from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer.  Braun scored at the 1:39 mark and on the power play with helpers going to Josh Lingard and Skyler Thomas Spink.  And at the 6:20 mark, Logan Speirs picked up a pass from defenceman Hunter Jensen and he raced down the right side for an up close and personal meeting with de Kok.  Speedster Denver Maloney flew down the middle to turn the Speirs rush into a 2-on-1 and his presence kept the defenceman from challenging the puck-carrier.  Speirs snapped a low shot from only 14 feet out and de Kok managed to get a pad on it.  The disk fell right onto the stick of Maloney, who was now right on top of the crease, and he dished it into a wide open net for the insurance marker and a 5-2 lead.  There would be no further scoring.

Lingard and the Storm's Josh McKenzie were named the players of the game for the respective teams.  De Kok was tagged with the loss blocking 39 of 44 Panthers' shots while McKillop won once again stopping 23 of 25 attempts.  It was his VIJHL-leading 13th win.

The Club did receive some bad news just prior to the game.  It was determined through X-rays that Sparrow has a broken wrist and he was casted in the late afternoon.  Sparrow is expected to be out 4-6 weeks with the injury which might take him to the Christmas Break on December 22nd.  

Head Coach Brad Tippett on the game and on his Club:

"Tonight was a very good effort from everyone. We have a number of guys playing their best hockey as Panthers. Our veteran guys are leading by example and the young guys are playing like — not young guys. Lingard, Braun and Wort are simply the best line in the League, and we have Jack Taylor playing his best hockey. Benn-Wipp is starting to use his speed and hunting the puck. Thomson-Fiddes and Lyon are both becoming very very dependable and their roles just keep getting bigger. Pelletier is adding work ethic to his high skills. Jensen and Seale are 17-year-olds playing like 19-year-olds. Benger is becoming a physical force and is taking pride in being hard to play against in our end. Horricks just keeps things simple, gets better every game, and he makes momentum-changing hits. Spink and Diamond-Burchuk simply control the game when they are out there. The injury to Sparrow is providing Speirs and Maloney an opportunity for bigger roles and both are taking advantage of it. Grunert is developing into an effective winger - keeps things simple and makes things happen on the forecheck. Ragsdale is showing signs he wants to battle harder and looks like he is getting things turned around. McKillop was solid and confident. Combiadakis has given us three great starts in the last couple weeks and remains undefeated. The key now is to continue to improve every day.
 
Sparrow’s injury is a fractured wrist. He was casted yesterday and it looks like 4-6 weeks. We have to find the silver lining. He plays a very 'heavy on the puck' game - this should have him at mid-season form just as we hit playoff time."

The Panthers will now put their full focus onto next Friday night as they prepare to host the Victoria Cougars.  The two Clubs are in a battle for the top rung in the VIJHL and although the Panthers currently have a 6-point cushion, the Cougars have played four less games.  The contest takes place at the Panorama Recreation Centre with the puck set to drop at 7:30 pm.  Fans are asked to come early as a large crowd is expected.