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The game was half over -- and looking all but finished -- Monday for the Port Moody Black Panthers. Then they sprang to life.
The Cats battled back from a 3-0 deficit and whistled in five unanswered goals on way to a 5-3 win at PoMo Rec Complex in the opening game of their first-round Pacific International Jr. 'B' hockey league best-of-seven series.
Game 2 goes tonight (Wednesday) at Maple Ridge Planet Ice, as does Friday's Game 3. Game 4 is back in PoMo on Saturday, 7:45 p.m.
The Flames appeared to be in command when C.J. Legassic slipped in his second goal at 11:18 of the middle frame to put Ridge up by three.
"That's when we turned the switch on," said Black Panthers general manager Ron Luniw. "We took it to them. We started to skate, forecheck and press them. All of a sudden, we were all around their net."
Ryan Panichelli scored his first of two goals and Rino Minni also tallied to close the gap to 3-2 before the second period expired. In the third, Panichelli and Josh Viegas scored early three minutes apart to give the Cats a 4-3 lead and the game stayed that way until Julian Klaric hit an empty net with 34 seconds remaining to seal the win.
The Cats out-shot the Flames 37-30, including 30-15 in the last two periods. Minni and Chris Stew collected two assists apiece for the winners, who got a 27-save showing from goalie Nick Taylor.
Game 5, if necessary, will be in PoMo on Monday, 7:30 p.m. A prospective Game 7 will also be in PoMo, t.b.a.
