HUSKIES SQUEAK PAST PANTHERS

PORT HOPE, ON – Friday kicked off the first of a home and home between the fifth place Panthers and the first place Huskies.

Huskies opened the scoring in the first at 14:40 off a goal by Keenan Wiles. Panthers tied it up 29 seconds later when newly acquired Panther forward Cole Papageorgiou, who made a return to Port Hope after two seasons away, found the back of the net thanks to a Blake Hudson and Dailen Fousek play.

Veteran Spencer Eriksson gave the home team the lead early in the second as he but it past Frankford goalie with the assist going to Jack Bogyay, his first point with the team.

From there is was penalty trouble for the Panthers. Carson Shannon was called for hooking at 3:08 and Noah Richard was sent off for holding at 4:55. Huskies found success on each of the ensuing powerplays, both goals coming off the stick of Joey Coates and just like that, 5 minutes into the second and Frankford took the lead 3-2. It would be not only a multi goal period for the Huskie’s Coates but also Spencer Eriksson, as he tied it up at 3 just after the 10 minute mark and that’s the way the score would stay as teams headed to their dressing rooms after 40 minutes.

Returning to the ice with high energy, what began as a harmless play in the Panthers zone resulted in a bad bounce from behind the net and the puck squeaked past Friedrich just 2:06 into the frame. Forward Riley Grimmon would be credited with the goal. Despite the Panthers continuing to push, Frankford scored an insurance marker at 16:32, a hat-trick for Coates, and would go on to win the game 5-3.

Final shots on net Frankford 35 I Port Hope 12

Prior to the game Panthers recognized Alumni Carter Clarke with a ceremonial puck drop and volunteer David Martino performed the National Anthem.

Panthers Performers of the Night Presented by Cucina Urbana:

#20 Cole Papageorgiou – #5 Blake Hudson – #4 Spencer Eriksson