Panthers and Predators highly entertaining best-of-7 series knotted once again!

Monday March 6, 2023
Panorama Recreation Centre
North Saanich, British Columbia

Most hockey observers had counted the Peninsula Panthers out of their best-of-7 series against the Saanich Predators in Round 1 of the VIJHL playoffs but that was not the feelings within the Panthers Organization.  A Club which has more playoff experience than any other Club in the League will need every bit of it if they have visions of moving past the Predators in the next five days. 

The series is tied up at 2-2 and could not be any closer.  Each Club has scored 9 goals.  Each Club has two wins and two losses.  Each Club has won a game in their own barn and a game in the opponent's barn. The Predators have 139 shots on goal while the Panthers have responded with 137 shots over the four games.

"I suppose the one area where we have concern is the amount of penalties we have been given compared to the Predators, expecially in the last two games," quipped Panthers GM Pete Zubersky.  "The whistle certainly has not gone our way as of late and I could hear the frustration boiling over from our fans last night.  I imagine that it will all even out with a longer sample size.  We were hands-down the most disciplined team the entire year and we have not changed our mindset in any way. We want to stay out of the box.  I truly believe that the amount of penalties we have received has changed this series and we will address this for next game."

Panthers Payton Braun opened the scoring in the 2nd frame on Monday night in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre and it looked as though the lead might hold until the final buzzer.  But with just over three minutes remaining in the contest and the game being played at a frantic pace, the Predators managed to gobble up a puck just inside the Panthers blueline and Jake Westhaver ripped a shot that eluded Cats stopper Mason Kelly.  His shot sent the game into an extra frame and Tarik Borhot proved to be the hero when he beat Kelly from in close to give the Predators the 2-1 Overtime win.

Game 5 is set to go Wednesday night at the George Pearkes Arena at 7:30 pm while Game 6 will be right back at the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night at 7:30 pm.  If a Game 7 is needed it will be played Sunday evening in Saanich at 6:00 pm.

CHEK TV will be doing live sports hits from the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night for both of their 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm broadcasts.  Panthers Captain Matt Seale will be interviewed by CHEK at 5:50 pm while Predators Captain Michael Hoekstra is to be interviewed in the 6:00 pm slot probably at 6:50 pm.

Here is the remaining schedule:

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