Back-to-Back With A Schedule Change

The Cougars were supposed to play the Panthers at home Thursday, then travel to Lake Cowichan to take on the Kraken Friday night. But after the devastating rains that hit BC wiped out most of the only road that connects the Capital Region and the rest of the Island the league rearranged the schedule.  The Kraken game was postponed and the Cougars took on the Predators Friday night instead.

The first game against the Panther was a rough slog for the Cougars. Peninsula was on a 5-0 streak that started with a win against Victoria a couple weeks ago, and the Cougars were coming off a loss to Kerry Park.

The Panthers dominated the first 40 minutes of the game, outscoring the Cougars 3-0 and holding the home team to only 5 1st period shots. Early penalties to the Cougars and a red hot power play had Logan Spiers and Payton Braun both scored their 19th goals of the year, both on the man advantage. Then a weird deflection by David Moody gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead after 2.

The 3rd period was the other side of that coin. the Cougars were the better team by far.  Outshooting the Panther 16-3 in the final frame. Estey, DeLay, and Jessa all scored in the 3rd. Riley Braun was the deciding factor for the Panthers. The Cougars came close, but only showing up for 20 minutes against the scoring power of the Panthers is never enough. Panthers take this one 4-3 and the Cougars have lost at home, and two in a row for the first time this season.

 

The back half of the two games was in Saanich to take on the Predators. The biggest difference in this game was goaltending for the opposition. The Cougars only managed to land 5 shots but scored 2 of them. Pang and Franklin both finding the back of the net. It was another Braun, this time Andrew, that got one past the Cougars net-minder in the 2nd. Kieran Strange got it back just seconds later and then 2 more Cougars goals had the away team up 5-1 after 2.

The Cougars rounded out the game with another Pang goal, this time on a 2 on 1 that Pang handled alone. The final frame was otherwise relatively uneventful except for a long list of penalties both ways. Both teams got under each others skin early and it boiled over with the Cougars up a 5 spot.

Next up for the Cougars is Kerry Park at home next Thursday for VMHA night sponsored by Brandon Wong Hockey. Wear your Admirals jersey and get in free!