PANTHERS COMPLETE SWEEP. WILL FACE JETS IN SECOND ROUND.

CAMPBELLFORD, ON – Port Hope completed the sweep on Thursday night as they defeated the Campbellford Rebels by a final score of 5-2.

The opening period was certainly the best one for the Panthers as they netted four (4) goals before the 10 minute mark of the frame. Captain Isaac Langdon opened the scoring just 0:39 seconds in, on the first shot of the game. A minute and a half later, while on the power play thanks to a Briar Hislop hooking penalty, it would be Nate Burelle who squeaked one past Logan Carter off the one-timer.

Campbellford cut the lead in half just past the three minute mark when Kaleb Brown put one past his former teammate, Brayden Friedrich, but it wouldn’t take long for Port Hope to strike again.

Josh Sainthill netted the Panthers second power play goal of the game, and the period, when a fail clearing attempt by the Rebels defenceman bounced off the shinpads of his teammate and landed on Sainthill’s stick in the high slot at 7:08. Two and a half minutes later, Burelle would get his second of the game.

Teams swapped lone goals in the second and third periods. Port Hope got on the board in the second thanks to Dailen Fousek who fired one top shelf over the blocker shoulder of Carter and Campbellford replied back with one of their own in the third on a failed clearing attempt by goaltender Friedrich. The stretch pass was picked off by Luke Wilkes who ultimately put it in the empty net.

Final shots on the night, Panthers 46 – Rebels 24.

With the win, Port Hope completes the sweep of Campbellford and will now face off against the Amherstview Jets who finished two points ahead of the Panthers in the regular season and are coming off two weeks rest, as they received a bye in the first round.

Action gets underway Tuesday March 12 in Amherstview before returning to Port Hope for game two on Saturday March 16.