Season Preview: Panthers add depth in quest for championship

By Thomas Becker

The UPEI Panthers are a team on the hunt.

After upsetting the Acadia Axemen in the AUS quarterfinals last season but losing to the eventual national champions, the UNB Varsity Reds, the Panthers are hoping to use that experience as their championship pursuit begins.

To combat the inevitable injury bug that decimated their lineup last season, the Panthers armed themselves with a group of skilled recruits who will provide much-needed depth to their lineup.

"The teams that do well in our league are able to protect themselves against injuries, suspensions and illness," said Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson. "At this time last year, we felt like we had a pretty good team. But all of sudden three weeks into the regular season, and we were down three top-six forwards and we just couldn't recover from it."

Now, after a successful offseason in which they acquired 10 new players, the Panthers are eager to hit the ice when it all matters Saturday night.

"We had a big recruiting year, both in quantity and quality," the coach said. "Bottom line, we just had to get better and we had to get deeper and I think we did that."

Strong relationships with past and current Panthers helped make the acquisitions possible, promising their new linemates a small but welcoming school with a hockey program gearing up for a championship run.

"We wanted to bring in players who have all the qualities we are looking for in a person and as a player."

Among them are former NHL prospects Austin Levi (third-round pick by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010) and Cody Payne (fifth-round pick by the Boston Bruins in 2012), Kurt Etchegary (former captain of QMJHL's Quebec Remparts), Beau McCue (Tri-City Americans of the WHL), J.C. Campagna (St. Thomas Tommies), Riley Whittingham and Bobby Zinkan (Summerside Western Capitals).

"From a hockey perspective, they increase our skill level."

Forwards Payne, Etchegary, McCue, Campagna and Whittingham will help shore up an offence that struggled to score at times, notching just 78 goals in 28 games – the fewest of any playoff team. They'll join winger Marcus Power (32 points) and P.E.I.'s own Brent Andrews (25 points) to form a skilled attack that will have opponents scrambling for answers.

"We won't be relying on one or two players to carry the workload offensively," said MacPherson.

  "It'll be more of an offence-by-committee and that will make us more difficult to go up against. We're going to get everyone involved so our depth becomes an asset."

Physically the Panthers are a bigger team, built with the strength necessary to push top-tier teams like UNB and St. FX off the puck while making their rivals uncomfortable throughout the game.

"We have to use our size, physicality and aggression on the forecheck to make an impact."

Led by all-star and Summerside native Ryan MacKinnon and fellow defenceman Nelson Armstrong, the defence aims to improve after allowing 100 goals in the 2015-16 campaign – the third highest of any team.

While Levi's NHL experience will be felt behind the blue line, the key to success will likely come down to sound fundamentals and a team approach that MacPherson has been preaching throughout training camp.

Longtime Panther Mavric Parks' place between the pipes has been taken over by Matt Mahalak, who is expected to get the majority of the starts this season. Mahalak put together a respectable season as a reserve, posting a 2.77 goals against average with a .917 save percentage. Connor Wilkinson, meanwhile, will serve as Mahalak's backup.

"The two goalies left behind are going to be handed the keys and we believe they can get the job done."

While the (AUS) conference has a lot to offer in terms of national superiority (UNB, St. FX and Saint Mary's finished as CIS's top ranked teams), the Panthers aren't ready to just hand over a championship. They'll have a lot to say about it when the puck drops for real on Saturday.

"I think it's going to be the most competitive year ever for this conference. Anybody who's watched our team over the last few years knows when they buy a ticket, they're going to see a very fast-paced, competitive, hard-hitting, aggressive hockey team."

Catch the Panthers at home on Oct. 8 when they take on the defending national champions the UNB Varsity Reds at MacLauchlan Arena. Puck drops at 7 p.m.