Port Moody Black Panthers finally stopped the bleeding Monday. Granted, they're still a considerable distance from winning the war.
The Cats came through with a clutch 3-0 triumph over the Ridge Meadows Flames at PoMo Rec Complex to extend their Pacific International Jr. 'B' hockey league best-of-seven series to a sixth game tonight (Wednesday) at Maple Ridge Planet Ice, 8 p.m.
Facing another must-win situation, the Cats will host a seventh and deciding game, if needed, Friday in PoMo, 7:30 p.m.
After opening the series with a 5-3 victory, the Cats dropped the next three straight by a lopsided 16-7 aggregate and were a loss away from elimination heading into Monday's match-up. The Cats shone top to bottom, as head coach Ron Johnson went with a more veteran line-up that wisely kept the Flames' big guns at bay and limited Ridge to a meagre 28 shots, while firing 47 on their opponents' cage.
Flames' sniper Danny Brandys, who struck for three goals in Ridge's 6-4 Game 3 win Friday and finished second in PIJHL regular-season scoring with 72 points in 46 games, was rendered "invisible" Monday, Luniw said.
"We played a very defensive game and I think that's what we have to do," said Black Panthers general manager Ron Luniw. "We took away their time and space. We're definitely riding a pretty good high right now and I think our guys are clearer on what they have to do now."
Cats 'keeper Nicholas Taylor came up with "two or three key saves early," Luniw said, that kept the squads scoreless after the first period. PoMo's Ryan Panichelli pocketed a goal just 37 ticks into the second for what proved the game winner, while Julian Klaric and James Benz later scored to wrap up the win.
