Guess who heads the standings in the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League?
The Peninsula Panthers find themselves in the divisionB次元官网网址檚 penthouse after a convincing 6-2 road win over the Victoria Cougars Sunday afternoon. With first place in the division on the line, the Panthers played perhaps their best game against the Cougars this season. Leading 2-1 after the first period and 4-2 after the second period, two goals in the final frame sealed the victory that pushed the Panthers past the Cougars in the standings, with the proviso that the Cougars have three games in hand on the Panthers.
While Logan Speirs and Riley Braun each collected four points, general manager and owner Pete Zubersky stressed the completeness of the teamB次元官网网址檚 performance. B次元官网网址�(Every) single one of our guys completely bought into their role and it showed,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e have great speed and used it in all three zones, that was a real difference in the game.B次元官网网址� So too was the goal-tending. In early October, the Panthers found themselves in the middle of the pack, playing inconsistent hockey, partly because of their goaltending.
Since the acquisition of Ashton Lukan from Port Alberni in mid-October as the teamB次元官网网址檚 main starter and ably backed up by Brad Kelly, who also joined the team later, any previous concerns about goaltending have disappeared. This was the case again against the Cougars, as Lukan stopped 24 out of 26 shots. B次元官网网址淟ukan was solid for 60 minutes in goal and kept them from getting close after we took the lead,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky.
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SundayB次元官网网址檚 showdown for first place became possible after the Panthers beat the Saanich Predators 5-4 on home ice at Panorama Recreation Centre. While below the Panthers in the standings, the Predators have proven themselves pesky opponents in recent weeks. FridayB次元官网网址檚 game confirmed this aspect yet again, as the Panthers blew a 4-1 lead after the first period, to see themselves tied 4-4 halfway through the third period. Speirs then broke the deadlock in favour of the home team.
B次元官网网址淲e went to the penalty box too often and just could not get some momentum going but we did enough to win,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky.
FridayB次元官网网址檚 game also included several personal and league high-marks. Kelly stopped 30 out of 34 shots, while SpeirsB次元官网网址� point-scoring streak now stands at 42 games. But arguably the most important achievement belongs to Riley Braun, whose assist on the goal of his brother Payton was the 100th of the season, only the fourth time in VIJHL recent history that the three-digit mark has been hit.
Zubersky said the team looks forward to the rest of the regular season. B次元官网网址淲e are as healthy as we have been all year which is great considering we are heading into the playoffs in four weeks,B次元官网网址� he said. There was a lot of good things happening this weekend. We have to build on what we accomplished in the two wins.B次元官网网址�
The Panthers return to action on Jan. 28, when they host the Westshore Wolves at 7:30 p.m.
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