Panthers get past Stormy start to run home streak to 15

After getting bounced 5-1 on Thursday night in the Hub City by the Nanaimo Buccaneers, the Peninsula Panthers were looking to get off to a quick start at home Friday evening at the Panorama Recreation Centre - and there was good reason for this.  In for the game was the North Island leading Campbell River Storm, a Club that had bested the Panthers three times in three opportunities this season.  And more importantly, on the line was 2nd place in overall VIJHL standing, a spot that both Club's dealy covet and a spot that could mean home-ice advantage if both were to move on to the 2nd Round in the VIJHL post season.

But if wishes were horses, beggers would ride and for the Panthers the quick start that they were hoping for simply did not materialze.  In fact, it looked like it was the Panthers who had just made the long bus trek when the puck dropped at 7:37 pm and it would be the Campbell River Storm who opened the scoring on a powerplay tally only 2:52 into the game.  "I really struggle with the way we start some games," explained Panthers' Hockey Operations boss Pete Zubersky.  "We come out of the dressing room late and don't look ready to go and we often put ourselves behind the 8-ball right away.  Tonight was no different.  It took us seven minutes to wake up and after we throw a few checks and bounce around a couple bodies, it seems we wake up."

And according to that script, the Panthers did exactly that.  After going down 1-0 on a pretty cross crease pass to James Severs who slipped the disk into the wide open cage, a grinding and physical shift several minutes later seemed to be what the Doctor ordered.  Although there was no further scoring in the 1st frame, the Club was back in the contest and actually outshot and outchanced the visitors.

The 2nd period is what spelled disaster for the Storm.  Jackson Skerratt finished on a cross-ice pass from the speedy Jordan Law at the 3:59 mark and then it was the newly acquired Rylan Ball who ripped a shot to the top of the net over a sprawled Jack Surgenor who was minding goal for Campbell River.  But perhaps the biggest goal in the period and in the game occurred with only 15 seconds left in the period.  The red hot Alex Milligan intercepted a pass right in front of Surgenor and it appeared there was no room to get the puck around or over or through the stopper.  But Milligan went to his bag of tricks and pulled out a lob wedge and then somehow popped the puck over a startled Surgenor giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes were in the books.  It proved to be the winner.

Storm's Michael Olsen got one back for the North Island foes at the 7:11 mark but Milligan once again pulled the daggar from his belt and sunk it deep into the hearts of the Storm.  It was only 1:40 after Olsen's marker and although it did not stop the visitors in their tracks, it certainly took a bit of bluster out of the Storm.  Both teams exchanged a couple chances however, Panthers goaltender Stephen Heslop would not be denied in goal for the Panthers on the night making several key stops down the stretch.  Surgenor was chased to the bench in the last minute of the game in favour of the extra attacker however, after getting a feed from Connor Logan, Milligan sent the disk 85 feet into a wide open and empty net to sew up the win.

"I loved our bite after the alarm clock went off," quipped Panthers' bench boss Brian Passmore.  "I saw some bad body language in the warm-ups before the game and perhaps it carried over just a bit into the game, but as soon as we started to crash, I believe the game changed and I think this was the key to the win.  Everyone got involved, this was 20 guys pulling on the rope.  It was a big win but we have three more big games left and then we roll into the playoffs.  I love that we have such a tough schedule this late in the season, I think it will pay off when we open up against the Westshore Wolves in ten days."

Milligan, Heslop and Ball were named as the 3 stars in the game.  Heslop blocked 29 of 31 shots in picking up the win and looked better than solid all night long while Surgenor was also strong between the pipes stopping 32 of 36 attempts.

The Panthers will travel to the Archie Browning Arena on Sunday afternoon and will tangle with the Victoria Cougars for the eighth and final time this season before heading to Bear Mountain next Wednesday evening to take on the Wolves. 

They will return to the Panorama Recreation Centre next Friday night and will crack open a special Valentine's Day 3rd Jersey when they host the Kerry Park Islanders.  During the 2nd intermission the squad will be signing autographs in the lobby and then after the game is complete, they will give 23 game-worn 3rd jerseys to 23 lucky Peninsula Minor Hockey Association players during an on-ice ceremony.  The puck is set to drop at 7:30 pm.