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CCHL NewsPanthers Edge Dixie on Final Showcase DayDate: Dec 30, 2009
The first game of the final day for the Showcase Tournament hosted at the Ray Twinney Complex involved the Pickering Panthers facing off against the Dixie Beehives in a match that didn't mean much in the standings. This is Pickering's second game in the Showcase event, they lost the first one (4 - 2) against Streetsville and hope to grab a win in their second opportunity against Dixie who sit in second last overall. Dixie started out the period getting the first couple of offensive chances. They were awarded a power play early on which seemed to of triggered a bit of momentum getting 6 straight shots on net. The Panthers answered back with some quick offensive rushes of their own. The Beehives took a penalty allowing Kyle Ramsay to set up Mike Shirley at the side of the net who roofed it over Beehives goaltender Devin Golets scoring the first of the game. Pickering would head into the second up by one. Both teams came out in the second playing very neutral hockey each playing good defence as well as offence. The Beehives were taking shots from every angle they had a chance on but Panthers goaltender Anthony Kimlin played real strong in net making 19 saves in the game so far. All of a sudden Justin Macdonald sat deep in the Beehives zone making his way out front to the top of a circle taking a wrist shot scoring his 13th of the season and putting his team up by two. At the start of the third, both teams came out on a shooting spree, putting the puck on net whenever they had the chance. Pickering really picked up the pace of the game getting ten shots on net in less than 9 minutes into the third. Golets stayed focused in net making some key saves to keep his team in the game half way through the period. The Panthers got into some penalty trouble resulting in Thomas Nosella's point shot being tipped by forward Daniel Holt to put the Beehives on the board. Things got ugly when Jordan Carvalho took the initial shot that trickled in off a Panthers skate tying the game. Captain Kyle Ramsay started the scrum after the goal which involved all players on the ice, resulting in a Beehives power play. With 44 seconds remaining in the game Jordan Ramsay took a slap shot from the top of the circle that went in blocker side, scoring the game winning goal. "It felt good to score to get us the "W", the team needed it, and we all needed the two points here" Ramsay stated, talking about his game winning slap shot from the circle. Although the Beehives lost the game, they fought hard, playing very discipline but yet physical hockey at the same time. Dixie's head coach Louie Gialadakis commented after today's game. "I thought it was a good game, well played by both teams. I thought we played well in the first two periods; we just weren't getting bounces in the offensive zone. We definitely thought we deserved the two points in today's game". The Pickering Panthers grab tonight's win with a score of 3 - 2 in a hard fought competition. They now edge a little closer to the Cobourg Cougars who currently sit above them in the East Division with 30 points. The final shots on net were 33 - 32 in favour of Pickering. Back to news articles |
