Panthers edge Tigers 1-0 on Rice goal
It took a period and half to finally break through as the relentless Panthers defeated the Dalhousie Tigers 1-0 in a grind-it-out affair Saturday night.
By Thomas Becker
Photo Janessa Hogan
It took a period and half to finally break through as the relentless Panthers defeated the Dalhousie Tigers 1-0 in a grind-it-out affair Saturday night.
Rookie R.T. Rice provided the heroics, scoring his second goal of the season at the 12:57 mark of the second period.
"We kept pushing and pushing and eventually we came through," Rice said. "It's nice to come away with the two points, especially after yesterday's loss."
UPEI's competitiveness couldn't be matched, as the road-weary Tigers struggled to sustain any offensive rhythm. Corbin Boes' 48 saves on 49 attempts kept Dalhousie afloat, but ultimately wasn't enough.
"With the exception of one game, I think we've competed very hard," said Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson. "Our team has more skill this year, but I think the work ethic is still there and bottom line, that's the staple of our team."
The Panthers brought a lot of energy to the ice, but struggled to capitalize on their opportunities early in the first. Despite three power plays and 19 shots launched at Boes, the goaltender was sharp in net, swatting away the barrage of shots.
After the Panthers turned the puck over in their own zone in the final minute of the period, the Tigers almost pulled ahead. But their shot attempt grazed the post, keeping the game scoreless.
The Panthers continued to fire shots in the second, but again Boes was able to shut the door – until 12:57, when the Panthers finally broke the stalemate. After winning a faceoff in Dalhousie territory, Rice scored the go-ahead goal for the 1-0 edge.
"It's no secret Dalhousie has a good goalie, probably best in the league, so it was critical that we got that goal first," MacPherson said.
As Dalhousie's energy increased, so did their scoring opportunities. Midway through the third period, the Tigers had a chance at an equalizer during a 4-on-3, but when faced with shots, Matt Mahalak came up big and preserved the shutout for the Panthers.
"In the end, our goalie made some big saves and that's what we needed from him tonight," MacPherson said.
The Panthers are at it again on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. when they take on the Saint Mary's Huskies.