The Port Alberni Bombers, trying to come from behind for the second night in a row, fell just short as the Peninsula Panthers recorded a 3-2 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League victory on Saturday night at the Alberni Valley Multiplex.
The loss shrinks the possibility of the Bombers overtaking Campbell River Storm for first place in the VIJHL’s North Division. The locals are now nine points behind the Storm with six games remaining in the regular season.
The Panthers took the early lead, scoring twice in less than two minutes midway through the first frame, but the Bombers struck back late in the period when Sean Richards scored his twenty-sixth of the season to make the score 2-1 Panthers after 20 minutes.
Richards scored his second of the night to tie the contest at 8:24 of the second period, but the Panthers scored what proved to be the winning and final goal of the contest seven-and-a-half minutes later.
Paco Hodgson, Lukas Preweda and Lucas Ananias scored for the Panthers. Leim Smith, Daniel Betcher, Zach Spafford and Grayson Salmon had assists for the Bombers.
Both goaltenders had solid games, Merik Grinaker stopping 28 of 30 shots in the Peninsula goal, while Tom Forrest stopped 27 of 30 in the Bombers net. Both teams scored on the power play – the Bombers going 1-for-5, the Panthers going 1-for-4.
The Bombers will be at home twice this week. They face Campbell River Storm on Wednesday night and then host Westshore Wolves on Saturday evening. Sandwiched between will be a Friday night tilt against the Predators in Saanich. Both home games start at 7:00 pm at the Alberni Valley Multiplex.
Bombers Lose Close Contest to Panthers
