Panthers grab 2-1 series lead with home-ice win Saturday

Saturday, March 4, 2023
Panorama Recreation Centre
North Saanich, British Columbia

If you were laying bets on what the score will be in Game 4 between the Peninsula Panthers and Saanich Predators on Monday night at the Panorama Recreation Centre, you might just select 3-2.  Thus far, in the hotly-contested best-of-7 between the two squads, all three games have resulted in a 3-2 outcome including Saturday evening in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre. 

The Cats took full advantage of the familiar surroundings and jumped out to a 2nd period 3-goal lead on a couple markers from Tanner Banks and one from Julien Phillips.  But the Predators Thomas Jenkins scored midway through the 2nd frame and then again with just over two minutes left in the contest to leave fans on the edge of their seats once again in the series.  The score held and now both squads look forward to Monday night in a significant point in the series.

Mason Kelly picked up the win for the Panthers while Dryden Demelo was tagged for the loss.  Demelo has gone the distance between the pipes in the first three games while Kelly's twin brother Brady was the starter in Game 2 of the series.

The puck drops at 7:30 pm Monday night as the Panthers will look for a little more home cooking out on the Peninsula.  Below are the results of the series thus far and the remaining schedule of games:

Game 1 – Peninsula 3   Saanich 2   (Double-Overtime) (at George Pearkes)
Game 2 – Saanich 3   Peninsula 2   (at Panorama Recreation Centre)
Game 3 – Peninsula 3   Saanich 2  (at Panorama Recreation Centre)
Game 4 – SAA @ PEN Monday, March 6 at 7:30 pm
Game 5 – PEN @ SAA Wednesday, March 8 at 7:30 pm
Game 6 – SAA @ PEN Friday, March 10 at 7:30 pm (if necessary)
Game 7 – PEN @ Saanich Sunday, March 12 at 6:00 pm  (if necessary)