The Peninsula Panthers 2009/2010 season got underway last night when they hosted the defending (VIJHL) champions the Oceanside Generals at Panorama Recreational Centre.
After puck drop it was a game of chess for most of the 1st period with both squads getting equal opportunity’s to get ahead early. The Generals struck first on the power play when they won a draw in the Panthers zone. The puck bounced to the top of crease where (17) Kyle Yamasaki made no mistake barring his first of the season. Oceanside went into the 1st intermission up one nil on the hometown Panthers.
The second began like the first period ended, with an assortment of penalties. The cats would tie the game up on the power play at the 5:50 mark when Gerry Fitzgerald took a beautiful cross-ice feed from Evan Campbell sliding it past the Generals netminder. Oceanside would answer back quickly when the Panthers coughed the puck up at the Generals blue line. (17) Kyle Yamasaki got in all alone short-handed and in the process of get hauled down, managed to fool Panthers goalie (31) Brady Berisoff and tuck the puck through the five-hole, netting his second of the game. As these two teams went on to trade power play opportunities, Gerry Fitzgerald would knot the game at 2 on the power-play again with less than three minutes to go in the second, Tyrell Turgeon and Jake Bryan got the assists.
For most of the third it looked like the beginning of the first period, both teams were getting great opportunities, but both goaltenders were standing their ground. With about five minutes remaining, overtime seemed eminent, but the Oceanside Generals soon found themselves in a heap of penalty trouble. The Peninsula Panthers were given a great 5-on-3 Opportunity and they did not fail to execute. After a beautiful display of tic-tac-toe passing, it was fed into the slot to James Kellington who made no mistake firing it past the Generals netminder for the game winning goal.
The cats scored all three of their goals on the Power Play while giving up a Power Play and Short-handed goal. This was indeed a night for the special teams and while both squads played great, it was the Panthers who connected on more chances, out-shooting the Generals 26-16. The following night the Panthers were dominated by the Kerry Park Islanders 5-1.
The next Panthers home game is Friday September 18th at 7:30pm vs the Victoria Cougars
