Panthers win in double-overtime 3-2 to take 3-2 lead in Best-of-7 series

March 1, 2022
North Saanich, British Columbia

The Peninsula Panthers used a little help from a member of the Canadian Women's Olympic Gold Medal squad Monday night as they bumped off the visiting Westshore Wolves by a 3-2 count in Game 5 of the Best-of-7 series in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre.  And with the heart-pounding and perhaps heart-stopping double-overtime victory, the Cats pulled to within a single win of capturing their first-round matchup.

The two teams warmed up on the freshly greased sheet and when the Olympic ice machine ambled back out for one more preparation prior to the puck dropping just after 7:30 pm, the two Clubs headed to their respective dressing rooms.  Joining the Panthers in their room for final instructions was Gold Medal winner Micah Zandee-Hart.  The polished young lady cut her teeth in the game playing in the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association and for many years was a regular at Panthers Friday night games.  She talked about the pressure in the Olympic games and discussed the Gold Medal 3-2 win over the USA.  Perhaps it was fitting that the Panthers would win by the same margin only three hours after she spoke.  Zandee-Hart then went out, addressed an appreciative crowd and then dropped the ceremonial puck between Wolves Captain Grady Nursey and Panthers Captain and leader Riley Braun.  After Braun ushered the special guest off the ice, it was all business for the two teams.

Ryan Grambart opened the scoring in the 1st frame for the Panthers when he beat Wolves starter Jacob Haydar at the 4:50 mark and the Cats sniper Logan Speirs extended the lead to 2-0 at 4:16 of the 2nd stanza on a pretty setup from Kyle Brown.  But the locals ran into penalty issues in the 3rd period and it would be the Wolves who would pot two goals of their own with Evan Loucks and Isaac Leik beating Panthers netminder Ashton Lukan.  The Leik goal came with only 43 seconds left in the game and with Haydar on the bench in favour of the extra attacker.

The 1st Overtime period solved nothing but Speirs ended the contest when at the 4:19 mark, he beat a screened Haydar to set off a celebration.

The series was expected to be a protracted one and that it has become.  Game 6 is set for the Q Centre in Colwood on Wednesday night at 7:00 pm and the two squads will be back at the Panorama on Friday evening at 7:30 pm if the Wolves manage to stave off elimination.