A potent power play propelled the Peninsula Panthers past the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Monday night at the Panorama Recreation Centre.
The Panthers went 4-for-5 with the man advantage and won game three of the best-of-five Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoff series 5-1.
The win gave the Panthers (second-place finishers in the regular season) a sweep of their semifinal showdown with the Glacier Kings (third in the regular season). Peninsula now meets regular-season champion Victoria Cougars in the best-of-seven playoff final. The Cougars swept the Oceanside Generals in the other semifinal.
The Panthers pounded goalie Cam Waddington with 50 shots on Monday while Brady Berisoff faced 31 at the other end of the ice. The home team led 2-0 after one period and 4-0 after two.
Kelin Hrycuik tallied the lone goal for the Yetis, who went 0-for-3 on the power play. Joe Densmore and Kyle Peterson both potted a pair for Peninsula.
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Home ice proved no advantage to the Glacier Kings in game two as they dropped a 4-1 decision on March 5. Peninsula led 1-0 after one period and 3-0 after two while outshooting the Yetis 36-21. Stewart Lee scored the Comox Valley goal and was the game's third star. Evan Campbell, Kyle Peterson, Zach Mazo and Dane Gibson tallied for Peninsula.
Both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play in a game that had only four minor penalties, two to each team and all coming in the third period. Berisoff picked up the win and Waddington took the loss.
Game one on March 4 at Peninsula was a barn burner as the Panthers prevailed 6-5 in overtime. Peninsula led 1-0 after one and 4-2 after two, with the Yetis storming back in the third with three straight goals to take a 5-4 lead.
The Panthers needed a power-play goal midway through the frame to force OT. Campbell snapped the deadlock six minutes into the fourth period.
Peninsula outshot Comox Valley 54-36 with Waddington taking the loss and Berisoff the winner. James Davison played five minutes between the pipes for the Icemen.
Corey Allen tallied twice for the visitors (just over three minutes apart in the third) while Colton Ruthven, Jackson Garrett and Lee netted one each.
Mazo paced the Panthers with four points (2g, 2a) while Campbell also potted a pair. Comox Valley went 2-for-6 on the power play when Peninsula was 1-for-3.
ICE CHIPS The Panthers outshot the Glacier Kings 140-88 in the series 鈥� the other semifinal was a tight series as fifth-place Oceanside hung tough with Victoria; the Cougars won 3-2 in double overtime, 2-0 and 3-2 in overtime鈥ast year Peninsula beat the Icemen three games to one to win the playoff championship ...
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