Panthers Battle Hard in High-Scoring Loss to Amherstview

Port Hope, ON – The Port Hope Panthers put up a strong fight on Friday night, but came up just short in a 7–5 loss to the Amherstview Jets in an exciting, end-to-end matchup.

Despite an early 2–0 deficit, the Panthers never backed down. Spencer Eriksson got Port Hope on the board midway through the first, finishing a setup from Sidney Wakely and Tyler Challice to cut the Jets’ lead in half.

In the second, the Panthers matched the Jets’ intensity. Travis Whitmore notched his second of the season, and Christian Sokoljuk continued his strong form with a power-play goal at 12:27, assisted by Sutton Scheck and Ryerson Minifie. That goal brought the Panthers within one, trailing 4–3 after 40 minutes.

The third period saw more pushback from Port Hope. After Amherstview made it 5–3, the Panthers once again showed their resilience. Scheck converted on the power play at 15:06 with a great setup from Wakely and Sokoljuk, pulling the game back to 5–4.

While two empty-net goals from the Jets in the final minutes extended the gap, Port Hope kept fighting until the final buzzer. Sokoljuk capped off a three-point night with his second goal of the game and sixth of the season in the final minute.

Sokoljuk (2G, 1A), Wakely (2A), and Challice (2A) led the Panthers offensively, while the team capitalized on two power-play opportunities, showing continued improvement on special teams.

The Panthers will now regroup and prepare for their next matchup, building on a strong offensive performance and a never-quit attitude that continues to define this group.

Ahead of the game, the Panthers were privileged to welcome MPP David Piccini onto the ice to perform the ceremonial puck drop.

Next Game: Friday October 17 on the road vs Napanee Raiders