Panthers down Tigers 5-3

HALIFAX, NS—The UPEI Panthers took care of the Dalhousie Tigers 5-3 Saturday night at the Halifax Forum.

The two teams worked themselves into the game for the first five minutes until Kurtis Henry's (Niagara Falls, ON) point shot generated the first dangerous scoring opportunity, but Alexander MacDonald (Truro, NS) battled through a screen to keep the puck out.   

UPEI went on the man advantage first off of a hooking penalty, and during, Kaleb Pearson's (St. Mary's, ON) shot collided with the back bar so quickly that even the goal light did not immediately turn on, but the referee signalled a 1-0 lead. 

The Panthers went on the powerplay again the next shift, and Elias Cohen's (Toronto, ON) attempted cross crease pass bounced off a Tiger and into the back of the net. 

Dalhousie took a penalty on the play to continue the UPEI advantage, but it was Shaun Miller (Enfield, NS) who got the most dangerous chance in all alone with Joe Ranger (Carp, PE), but he was unable to get it over the goaltender's pad. 

With four seconds left in the period, Joseph Serpa (Cambridge, ON) was sprung on a breakaway by Derek Gentile (Sydney, NS), but Cole Larkin (Mermaid, PE) made a great effort to get back and forced the forward off the puck.  

The Panthers left the ice after the first period with a 2-0 lead. 

Dalhousie found the back of the net early in the new period off of Josh Wainman's (Peterborough, ON) point shot getting past Ranger.  

They continued to claw back into the game. 

Liam Peyton (Halifax, NS) first found Evan MacKinnon (Beaverbank, NS) who put it back to Peyton, and he wired the puck past Ranger to make it even seven minutes into the period.  

Cade Kowalski (Morden, MB) wove into the offensive end, and found Ben MacFarlane (Ayr, ON) who patiently waited for the defender to bite, to which he blasted home a wrist shot bar down to end Dalhousie's momentum. 

Off of the goal, UPEI limped into the third period up one goal.

UPEI scored two minutes into the period off Patrick LeBlanc (Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, NB) flicking in the puck from centre ice that MacDonald was unable to control. 

Penalties filled the scoresheet just before the eleven minute mark, and Dalhousie went on the powerplay, but Kowalski put in a cross crease goal after their powerplay to make the lead three. 

Dalhousie went on the powerplay with eight minutes left, and Gentile found Alec Belanger (Quebec, PQ) who tapped the puck past Ranger for a powerplay marker.  

When the final buzzer rang UPEI walked away with a 5-3 win. 

Kowalski took home player of the game for his goal and assist. 

Dalhousie will look to get back into the win column Wednesday night against Acadia, and UPEI will try to keep rolling against UdeM.

RECAP BY: Ethan Hunt, Dalhousie Tigers Communications / PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce