Speirs leads Panthers' attack in 6-2 win over visiting Wolves

December 13th, 2019
North Saanich, B.C.

The Peninsula Panthers closed out their 2019 home schedule in style, bouncing the visiting Westshore Wolves by a 6-2 count.  Although the game was a lot closer than the score indicated, the result was an important one for the Cats.  The Club had been riding a six-game winning streak and that all ended on Wednesday against this same Wolves squad at the Q-Centre in Colwood.  A lackluster effort resulted in the Panthers going home on the losing end of at 3-2 count and undoubtedly Head Coach Brad Tippett was looking for a much more sustained and significant effort back at home Friday evening.  Coach Tippett commented in his office just minutes after the final buzzer had sounded.

"We had much better effort and enthusiasm right from the drop of the puck. In fact, at times we might have had almost too much puck pursuit and had three forwards caught deep on more than a couple of occasions. The Wolves' speciality is scoring goals on the attack. Our forwards abandoned supporting our defensemen most of the first period. We got things straightened out with a more structured forecheck and better support coming back into our own end as the game moved along. The quick bounce back was key. There were a lot more paddlers than passengers tonight."

Connor McKillop made the start between the pipes and at times he was brilliant during the contest.  The stopper was full value for the win.  The Wolves went with Jacob Haydar however, he was chased to the showers midway through the 2nd frame after the Panthers had piled up five goals on him.  Dylan Marleau came in and mopped up and allowed just a single marker on seven shots. 

Logan Speirs opened the scoring for the home side when he sped down the right side with linemate Denver Maloney on a 2-on-1 opportunity  Maloney sped to the net and kept the defender at bay and that allowed Speirs to come within 12 feet before he snapped a shot past Haydar to give his Club an early 1-0 lead.  The two squads exchanged several scoring chances however, the two netminders held firm and there would be no more scoring in the first 20 minutes of play.

The Panthers scored the first four goals of the middle stanza - Maloney, Tanner Wort, Speirs with his 2nd of the game and Drew Coughlin who had just recently been signed, added a single.  At 5-0 it looked like it might end up a route however, the Wolves responded with a pair of their own on markers by Chase Klassen and Sean Meehan.  With only 30 seconds remaining in the period, Speirs gathered in a puck in the offensive zone in the corner and dished a pass to Luc Pelletier who made no mistake.  The two foes went to the 2nd intermission with the Panthers holding a commanding 6-2 lead.  There was no scoring in the final period.

McKillop stopped 26 of 28 shots in collecting his VIJHL-leading 18th win.  Haydar was collared with the loss, blocking 16 of 21 shots before being yanked in favour of Marleau.  Klassen and Speirs were named Player of the Game for their respective squads.

The game closed the books on the Panthers' home dates for 2019.  They will travel to Oceanside on Sunday afternoon to take on the North Division-leading Generals.  And next Friday night the Panthers will once again head North to tangle with the suddenly hot Campbell River Storm.  They will finish the 2019 schedule on the road next Sunday in Saanich when they face the Braves in an afternoon affair.  The Cats will then take a well-earned 12-day Christmas break before returning to the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre Friday, January 3rd when they play host to the Victoria Cougars.