With their last game of the regular season coming up on Friday, the Peninsula Panthers are coming off a pair of wins and a nail-biting loss on Monday.
The Panthers beat the Westshore Wolves 3-2 on the road on Feb. 15. Back at home, the Panthers beat the Saanich Predators 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 17 before narrowly losing 4-3 to the Campbell River Storm on Monday (Feb. 20).
Forward Ryan Grambart scored three goals during the Feb. 17 game, including the game-winner in overtime after the Panthers battled back to tie the game up.
“We have been climbing up the hill as the playoffs near and on Friday night we took a big step to being ready … Although the game was meaningless to us, it was important for the Predators to win to keep their first-place hopes intact. Both clubs played hard and I thought we did a lot of things right which we have been working on,” Pete Zubersky, the head coach and general manager, said in a statement.
The Panthers twice levelled the score in Monday’s game against Campbell River but could not hold on as Campbell River scored the game-winner with a little over two minutes left in the third period.
Zubersky highlighted Grambart – who will likely finish second in the league on points – and goaltender Brady Kelly for their strong performances during his post-game remarks on Friday.
“Our best players were our best players and that is a must to win and especially to win in the playoffs.”
The Panthers’ last game of the regular season is Friday, Feb. 24, against Port Alberni. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at the Panorama Recreation Centre
READ MORE: Peninsula Panthers speared not once but twice by Saanich Predators
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.