Panthers cool off the Glacier Kings with 3-1 win

Friday, September 22, 2023
Panorama Recreation Centre
North Saanich, British Columbia

It was an important game this young in the season, there was no doubt about that.  The Peninsula Panthers had opened the season winning their first three affairs, however fell on tougher times in the last two games when they were shutout by both the Campbell River Storm on Saturday followed up by a loss to the Kerry Park Islanders on Tuesday.  The flu bug had ripped through the Team and several practices were cancelled this past week but Friday night as the players filtered in to the Panorama Recreation Centre, they seemed to have more zip to their collective step.

The optimistic view did not seem to have legs when the puck dropped shortly after 7:30 pm as the visiting Comox Valley Glacier Kings took the fight to the Cats.  It was a scene that has played out each and every game this season and an issue that the Panthers staff is well aware of.

"It seems like we are just not ready to go for the opening face-off and our best player in the first period of each game has to be our goaltender," quipped Panthers owner Pete Zubersky.  "We wake up and the 2nd has treated us well but I would love for the Club to play 60 minutes.  I think we would be a decent squad once we get that issue nailed down."

The Glacier Kings were full-value for a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes on the strength of a marker coming off the stick of Tanner Gould.  At one point, the Glacier Kings held a 13-4 margin in shots-on-goal but somewhere around the midway point in the period, the home side seemed to come to life.

It was all Panthers in the 2nd period and the Club was awarded when a hard forecheck by Ben Swan and Julien Phillips turned the puck over behind the Glacier Kings net.  Phillips tossed the disk onto the tape of Lukas Preweda who was in the high slot and he ripped it past Dylan Dykstra to knot the score at 1-1.  At the 14:03 mark, Cats' Carson Harris was gifted a scoring opportunity when a turnover 15 feet out left him licking his chops.  Harris ripped a shot to the low blocker side and suddenly the Panthers held a 2-1 lead.  It would hold up through 40 minutes.

The relentless attack continued in the final period and Malcolm Fletcher extended the lead while on the power play at the 8:35 point. It was Fletcher's 1st goal of the season and it was the kind that draws a smile from every coach in the game.  Risto Ringma gathered in the puck at the top near the blueline and fed power forward Ethan Lingard on the right side at the hash marks.  Lingard blasted the disk on net and Fletcher was lurking three feet out looking for a would-be rebound.  When willing to pay a price in front of the net, the puck will always find you and that was the case on the insurance marker. The rebound came right to Fletcher and he banged it home to give his squad some breathing room.  It would prove to the final marker of the game.

Dykstra was named the Player of the Game for the Glacier Kings as he turned aside 47 of 50 shots on the night.  He also picked up a loss for his efforts.  Tanner Ferrill, who was looking to rebound after his last start in Campbell River, did just that.  He was outstanding in picking up the win knocking down 32 of 33 shots sent in his direction.

There is not much time for the Panthers to enjoy this one as they were boarding the bus at 2:00 pm heading to Port Alberni for a date with the Bombers.  They will be back at hime next Friday night when the Nanaimo Buccaneers are set to invade the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre with the puck set to drop at 7:30 pm.

Panthers Tracks...Julien Phillips has been having a nice start to the season but was banged up and had to leave the game midway through the middle stanza...there were still a handful of players a bit under the weather but the health situation around the squad is much better than earlier this week...Assistant Coach Colin Carter was not on the bench away on a quick vacation in Las Vegas...North Division opponents are typically less of a draw but a nice crowd watched the action Friday night...the Panthers look to extend their record to 5-2 Saturday...Luka Jansen van Rensburg and Harris lead the Panthers in the scoring department...Panthers Mascot Percy looks like he will be on the shelf for the next month getting some work done on his eyes...