With their regular season series tied at three wins apiece, it was anybody's guess who would win Game 1 of the best-of-seven VIJHL South Division finals series between the Kerry Park Islanders and the Peninsula Panthers on Tuesday, March 11.
Making the match-up even more interesting is that through the opening round of the postseason, five of the league’s top six scorers play for Kerry Park (Bryce Burnett, Max Carlson, Carson Brown, Adam Konowalchuk, and Brody Lindal). The lone exception was Peninsula rookie Alex Sajan, who sat at third overall heading into Round 2.
Ironically, none of the top six scorers proved to be the hero, with just one goal scored between them, off the stick of Lindal midway through the second frame. He also added two assists, as did Burnett.
With the exception of Carlson, who was held off the score sheet, Brown, Konowalchuk and Sajan all had single assists for their respective teams.
With both teams doing well to stymie the scoring prowess of their opponents, other players were able to step up. Peninsula got off to a 2-0 lead before Jobey Pearson scored late in the first period to cut the lead in half.
A quick Peninsula power-play goal restored the lead just over a minute into the second period but Kerry Park battled back with goals from Raydon Parkes and then Lindal.
The teams each added one more goal in the period — first the Panthers and then captain Matson Waring for the Isles to enter the second intermission deadlocked at 4-4.
It took half of the third period to get the winning goal and it came at the 10:13 mark when Peninsula's Jacob Eddy quieted the crowd at Kerry Park Arena and gave the Panthers the go-ahead goal and ultimately the 1-0 series lead.
Of note, joining head coach Jake Ebner on the bench for the Islanders was last year's head coach Henry Acres. Acres coached the team to the VIJHL final last season but the team was swept by the Saanich Predators four games to none.
"He's come on to help," noted Ebner. "Henry has been a big help to me all season and with him being here last season and his familiarity with the group, we are happy and excited to have him join us."
Game 2 was played March 14 at Pamorama Recreation Centre and it just wasn't Kerry Park's night.
Peninsula scored four goals in the first period and another in the second before the Islanders got on the board with a goal from Colby Robinson. That was the only goal the Isles could muster as Peninsula went on to win 7-1.
The following night back at Kerry Park it was more of the same with the Panthers earning a 5-1 win. Ben Stocks opened the scoring but, again, the Islanders' offence was shut down and it was the only goal they would get.
Game 4 is set for March 17 at Panorama at 7:15 p.m. Results were not available by press time.
If necessary, Games 5-7 are scheduled for March 18 at Kerry Park, March 21 at Panorama, and March 22 at Kerry Park with the puck dropping for all three games at 7:30 p.m.
