Panthers and Wolves play to 3-3 tie - the first deadlocked game in a long, long time.

The Peninsula Panthers did not win, neither did the Westshore Wolves and for the first time in many, many years two VIJHL teams played to a tie.....a 3-3 tie.

In what ended up being a very strange outcome, neither team was able to put in the winner and with the new overtime format in the VIJHL this season, a tie such as what occured at the end of 70 minutes at the Panorama Recreation Centre is now one of the possible outcomes.

The Panthers came out of the gates hard and dominated the first 12 minutes of the first frame and were full value for their 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Jackson Skerratt a little over three minutes in.  But the Wolves turned the tables on their hosts and all the play was in the Panthers end for the final eight minutes.  But Panthers starter Joey Karrer held strong between the pipes as the two clubs departed the sheet after 20 minutes  of play with the home squad clinging to the one-goal lead.

Both teams went up and down the ice in the second stanza but only the Wolves would find paydirt when big and fast improving Wolves defenceman Kevin Massy tallied with just under four minutes left in the middle 20 minutes.  Both Karrer and Wolves starter Nick Dueck made key saves keeping the game close.

But it was once again the Panthers who took control early in the third period when at the 1:11 mark Cole Glover gatherered in a puck at the Panthers blueline and raced end-to-end before putting a shot past the startled Dueck.  Glover's goal was shorthanded and it seemed to give the Panthers all the momentum.  And only 88 seconds later rookie Adam Page sped down the left side after taking a pass from Cody Allison and he once again blasted a puck past Dueck to give the Panthers a commanding 3-1 lead.  It was Page's first goal of the season.

But it now would be the Wolves turn to fly down the left side when at the 8:59 the recently acquired Kyle Peterson put a slick shot past Karrer to pull the Wolves within a goal.  And it would be Maassy who would once again hit the scoresheet when he tied the game with just over five minutes left in the game. 

Ten minutes of overtime would not provide the fans with a winner and a loser and so nobody left the Panorama Recreation Centre feeling really happy, but then again, nobody was really sad.

The Panthers will not have to wait long to get back into the win column as they travel to Comox on Saturday afternoon and will take on the Comox Valley Glacier Kings in an evening affair.  The club is back home next Friday evening and will take on those same Glacier Kings.

Panthers Tracks....Glover was named the games first star, Massy the second star and Spencer Loverock who seemed to skate a hundred miles during the game was selected the game's third star...The Panthers have been assured by the Management of the Panorama Recreation Centre that the individual seats will be installed for next Friday's game which is set for 7:30 pm.