Cardiac kids best Braves 3-2 in overtime thriller

In a rare Tuesday evening make-up game scheduled at the Panorama Recreation Centre, a small crowd was on hand to watch the Peninsula Panthers entertain the visiting Saanich Braves.  And although the numbers were down in the stands, this might have been the only disappointment of the evening as those in attendance were treated to one of the most exciting and perhaps the most important Panthers win of the season.

The final play of the game saw Daniel Welch skate down the left side and into the Saanich Braves zone on a 2-on-1 with Connor Logan with approximately two minutes having been elapsed in the five-minute overtime.  Welch moved in on Braves netminder Tanner McGaw and using Logan to keep the Braves defenceman at bay, he deftly whistled a snap shot past a startled McGaw that set off a celebration.  The entire Panthers team spilled from the bench and conglomorated in one large group in the corner to the right of the Saanich net as they collectively enjoyed the hard-fought and come-from-behind win.

The game had a bit of everything.  Braves sniper Josh Gray opened the scoring on a strange play where a shot to the right of Panthers goaltender Josh Round seemed to bounce harmlessly off a couple of players but then somehow seemed to slip by Round.  There was no more scoring in the 1st or 2nd periods but there were some fireworks that had the fans on their feet.  With 6:08 gone in the 2nd frame Panthers Logan Gibson laid out a big hit which referee Jeff Eden felt was a 5-minute crosscheck.  Braves' Jordan Groenheyde and Josh Gray took exception to the play by Gibson and both skated in with more than a cup of coffee on their minds.  Panthers Jonas Horvath moved in to assist the outnumbered Gibson and some fistic activity resulted.  Groenheyde was tossed for being the instigator in a tilt with Gibson and seconds later Horvath and Gray became involved in another fight.  After everything was sorted out, all four were sent to the showers while Eden and his linesmen straightened out the penalty minutes.  The two teams got back to the business of playing hockey and roared up and down the ice all night.

The 3rd frame started with the Braves holding a slim 1-0 lead however Ben Meek on an assist from Cole Glover moved into the high slot and blasted a shot that finally beat McGaw.  But the lead was short-lived.  Max Mois blew down the left side and into the Panthers zone and after beating the defenceman at the top of the circles, came in alone on Round from a tough angle.  He delayed long enough as he came across the top of the crease for Round to open up the five-hole and Mois made no mistake putting the Braves up 2-1.  And it looked like it would stay at that score.  The Panthers pulled Round with just a minute left in regulation and then with 11 seconds left McGaw held on during a scramble to force a faceoff to his left.  Panthers' Head Coach Brian Passmore called a timeout and whatever he said, worked.  The Panthers won the draw and sent four men to the front of McGaw and in a wild scramble Reece Costain finally jammed one past the 20-year-old stopper to tie the game with only 5 seconds remaining.

The Panthers seemed to take the energy from the Costain goal into the extra frame and carried the play for the most part.  And of course the Daniel Welch marker gave his Panthers the all important two points and they continue to chase the Westshore Wolves.

Passmore was excited and had several comments after he had addressed his Club in the dressing room after the game.  "We just kept working.  I loved the goal by Costain.  It was just a bunch of bodies going to the net, outnumbering them in the tough area of the ice and getting the equalizer because of it.  And Welch's goal has really set the stage for our weekend in games against Nanaimo at home on Friday and up in Kerry Park on Sunday.  We need to continue to put up wins.  We have 8 games left and we need to make some hay if we want to catch the Wolves."

The North Division leading Nanaimo Buccaneers will make their last trip into the Panorama Recreation Centre this season when they face the Panthers on Friday evening.  The puck is set to drop at 7:30 pm.   

Panthers Tracks....Panthers trail the Wolves by 4 points however the Wolves have only 6 games remaining while the Panthers have 8....Since making the deadline deals, the Panthers have garnered 7 of a possible 8 points with three wins and a shootout loss to the Braves last Friday night....Brett Sjerven will be back in the lineup on Friday while Cody Breitenstein is expected to practice on Wednesday and should slot back in on Friday as well...affiliated player Braeden Pearce is expected to see his first action as a Panther on Friday night.