Friday sucked for the Peninsula Panthers.
“Friday night was not a fantastic night,” said coach Rob Armstrong. “We got into some penalty trouble.”
The team was up 3-2 heading into the third period of the game against the Saanich Braves, but couldn’t hold on for the win.
The players had learned that night that the team’s ownership was reverting to the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. Whether the news affected them or not, they got over it enough to provide entertainment in Comox the next night.
They won 3-2 over the Glacier Kings who sit atop the north division and are league leaders in scoring.
“We were blocking shots and throwing checks. The fans up there got their money’s worth,” Armstrong said.
Cole Peterson scored the winner with 19 seconds left; it was his second goal and third point of the night. Wade Bartlett notched the first goal of the game.
This Friday night the Panthers are in Campbell River. The last showdown between Peninsula and the Storm netted several game suspensions for both teams.
Sunday afternoon the Panthers face the Victoria Cougars at Archie Browning Arena in Esquimalt.
“Every time we see them there’s definitely some history there,” Armstrong said. The Panthers ousted Victoria from the playoffs in a Game 7 last spring.
The team is taking the season game-by-game and Armstrong sees an ownership change as a “clean slate.”
“We’re hoping it’s a good thing,” he said.
reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com