Panthers Rally Late but Fall 6–5 in Final Minute to Amherstview Jets

AMHERSTVIEW, ON – The Port Hope Panthers battled hard on the road against the Amherstview Jets on Friday night, delivering an electrifying offensive effort but ultimately falling 6-5 in a comeback effort in the third period.

Amherstview drew first blood just 1:47 into the game on the power play when Jack Churchill scored, assisted by Andrew White and Liam Duffy. The Jets struck again at 6:58 with Andrew Botting finishing another man-advantage play. Port Hope responded in the first with Colby Hercia scoring at 9:01, assisted by Kyle Ramsperger, keeping the game within reach.

The second period saw early fireworks, with a short-handed goal from Christian Sokoljuk at 0:48 tying the game for the Panthers. Amherstview reclaimed the lead moments later on a power-play marker from Gabe Williams, followed by Andrew Botting scoring again at 6:33 to make it 4–2 Jets heading into the third.

The Panthers refused to back down. Travis Whitmore scored at 6:11, and Zach Naherne followed with a marker at 7:25, bringing Port Hope to within one. Sokoljuk notched his second short-handed goal of the game at 16:15 to tie the score at 5–5. The Jets answered late with Jack Churchill scoring at 19:26, avoiding overtime.

Despite the loss, Port Hope showcased resilience and offensive depth, with multiple players contributing key goals in high-pressure situations. The Panthers will look to carry this energy into their next matchup Sunday afternoon when they head to Trent Hills to take on the Thunder. Puck Drop is 4:30 PM.