PANTHERS RETURN TO ICE BUT FALL SHORT IN COMEBACK

PORT HOPE, ON – Panthers returned to action Friday night at home, after a two-week holiday break, looking to hit the reset button with fifteen games remaining on the regular season.

It was First Responders Night at Jack Burger and ahead of puck drop, members of the First Responders community were recognized including the Panthers’ own Cole Harvey who is currently a member of the Port Hope Police Auxiliary.

It was a different Port Hope team on the ice Friday, playing disciplined and structured hockey and it paid off as Andrew Eriksson opened the scoring at 7:37 of the first off a Noah Richard rebound in front. Seven minutes later, Eriksson took a slashing penalty in the neutral zone and Jets would take advantage. Jack Kedwell received a cross ice pass from Josh Kudo and put it past Henderson to tie the game.

Panthers had a chance to take the lead back prior to the end of the first when Emmett Clarke stepped in from the point and put it just wide of the open net.

Tension were high at the end of 20 with both teams taking penalties, but it would be the Panthers starting fresh in the second on the power play but with a chance to take the lead again, Blake Hudson was unable to put the puck up and over the leg of a sprawling Noah Chin.

From there it was all Jets as they scored four unanswered goals to take a 5-1 lead with 7:27 remaining in the second frame. Noah Richard had the lone goal for the Panthers at 14:18 of a high slot shot on a pass from Sidney Wakely.

Jets once again found themselves in penalty trouble at the end of the second when Connor Brooks was called for cross-checking with only 14 seconds remaining in the frame.

Less thank a minute into the third period, Jets were called for boarding sending Payton Clarke to the box and giving the Panthers a 5-on-3. With the face-off in the Jets end, Head Coach Corey Beer pulled the goalie giving the Panthers a 6-on-3 and it paid off. Blake Hudson found the back of the need off a cross ice pass from Dailen Fousek just a 1:30 into the frame.

A minute twenty eight later, Jacob Bone continued to close the gap as he put, what looked like a harmless shot towards the net from the point and it found it’s way over the shoulder of Chin and into the back of the net.

With Panthers continuing to push, it would be Captain Oz Paziuk who tied the game when he drove the puck wide and put a shot under the arm of the Amherstview goalie.

Tied with 6:06 remaining in the period, both teams pressed with multiple chances. Under a minute to go, Owen Bauder sent a stretch pass up ice to Andrew Botting who stepped into the middle and fired a shot over the right shoulder of Henderson.

Jets win 6-5.

Panther Performers of the Night presented by Cucina Urbana:

#17 Jacob Bone  –  #9 Emmett McCormack  –  #88 Noah Richard