Rylan’s having a Ball as Panthers move through playoffs

Article submitted by Kate Duke.
North Saanich, B.C.

The Panthers community has had their look at new addition, Rylan Ball, over the past couple of weeks, and needless to say, he has been impossible to overlook. The 18-year-old, who laced up to play his seventh game on Friday night against the Westshore Wolves in the 2014 VIJHL playoffs, has put up four goals and four assists in his first 7 games and has been a reliable constant drive on the ice.

Ball was acquired by the Club January 29^th after starting his 2013/14 season off within the BCHL; his skates hitting Panther ice for the first time in practice that following Tuesday, just days before his first game as #22 in your programs. Although his first match up against the Nanaimo Buccaneers, who had fallen short against Panthers in two of the three meetings this season, ended in a loss, Ball has had no issue showcasing his potential within the team from day one.

Ball began his time with the Panthers with three games in four days, and less than two weeks shy of the 2013/14 VIJHL playoffs, Ball took no time making himself known across the ice. The Powell River native has become a chameleon on skates, proving to be very affective in both defense and offense position. Despite being a defenseman in the BCHL, Ball has eased into his new hybrid role with the Panthers; putting up back to back goals in two huge wins against the divisional leaders, Campbell River Storm and the Victoria Cougars, and again in game two and three of these playoffs against the Wolves.  

When asked about how Ball has impressed, head coach Brian Passmore did not hesitate, “Rylan Ball has been a great addition to this team. Rylan is versatile and can play up front within the top 6 forwards, or be put back on defense in key situations.” These situations arose on many occasions over the past two weeks of Peninsula hockey; in his first three games, Ball’s defensive play had been utilized in the over 60 minutes of combined power play and penalty kill and 150 minutes in the three playoff games so far.  Passmore continues to note that Ball is the latest in many threats that the Panthers will bring to the opposition in the coming weeks.

Rylan Ball was not the only January addition to the Panthers roster that has continued to impress. Forward Alex Milligan, who was acquired in the infamous four player trade with Kerry Park Islanders, has lit up with his aggressive offensive skills, memorably with a Friday night home game hattrick against the Campbell River Storm, pushing the Panthers into a 15 home game winning streak. He is a constant on the scoreboard and finished the season third in overall league leaders.

The revamped roster has secured the Panthers with a solid team going into the playoffs, and with Westshore’s Matt Chester putting on a show of his own in net, there is no doubt the likes of Ball and Milligan are huge contributions to the roster. The first playoff series for the Panthers, against the 5^th place Westshore Wolves, is currently sitting at 2-1 after two huge back to back wins for the Panthers. Saturday, February 22^nd, the Panthers will visit the Wolves in game 4 of the 1st round at 6:00 p.m. at the Q-Centre in Colwood, and will be back on Monday at the Panorama Recreation Centre for a 7:30 p.m. start for Game 5 of this best-of-7 series. See you all there!