Panthers clinch playoff spot with overtime win

(Halifax, NS) — On Friday evening at the Halifax Forum, the Dalhousie Tigers faced the UPEI Panthers. After two goal comeback, the Tigers forced the game to overtime where the Panthers took the game 4-3.  

An aggressive and fast start to the game sent Kyle Yewchuk (Calgary, AB) to the penalty box for hooking and gave the Panthers one man advantage. Owen Headrick (Garden River, ON) scored the first goal of the game. He gave the Panthers the 1-0 lead after the puck rebounded towards him.  

The Panthers continued to play aggressive hockey, but the Tigers didn't break and got back into the game. After a give away by the Panthers in their zone, Logan Johnston (Fredericton, NB) tied the game 1-1.  

Right after the tying goal Dillon Boucher (Head Chezzetcook, NS) was sent to the box for hit on the head and got a major penalty. The Tigers successfully killed the penalty.  

With great puck movement, the Panthers found the net once again. Jordan Maher (Gander, NL) and Tanner McCabe (Charlottetown, PE) found TJ Shea (Tignish, PE) right at the net and put the Panthers up 2-1.   

The Tigers trailed 2-1 at the end of the first.   

The first period was filled with action. The teams combined for 21 total shots on goal, while in the second, there were seven shots in total and both teams made strides in the defensive zone of the ice.   

After a quiet second period, the Panthers still led the Tigers 2-1 after two periods.   

The third period started off fast as both teams were on the attack. Duncan MacIntyre (Sydney, NS) was called for a high stick and gave the Panthers one man advantage early in the period. The Panthers' Headrick shot from the blue line and found the net to give the Panthers a two goal lead.  

The Tigers, however, bounced back with a quick response. Andrew Shewfelt (Dartmouth, NS) found Matt Green (Hammonds Plains, NS) who found the back of the net to cut the lead and make it 3-2.   

The Tigers didn't stop to attack and got rewarded with two back-to-back power plays, but the Panthers' defence killed both power plays.   

With 1:19 left in the third, the Tigers pulled Connor Hicks (Kanata, ON) out of the net to find a way to tie the game. With one man advantage, the Tigers' MacIntyre found Campbell Pickard (Halifax, NS) to tie the game at 3-3 and send it to overtime.  

The overtime play didn't last long. Matt Brassard (Barrie, ON) got two-on-one on the breakaway and without hesitation found the top of the net to take the game for the Panthers 4-3.   

The player of the game was the Panthers' Owen Headrick.

Recap by Ilyas Kurbanov, Dalhousie Athletics Communications

Photos by Trevor MacMillan