Panthers looking for rally tonight in Napanee

Posted By JEFF GARD

JEFF GARD Northumberland TodayPort Hope Panthers forward Logan Arsenault attempts to get some traffic in front of Napanee Raiders goalie Zak Vandenburg during Sunday night s Game 2 of the Empire junior C hockey championship series at the Jack Burger Sports Complex. In two games, Vandenburg went a little more than five and a half periods without surrendering a goal to the Panthers.

PORT HOPE — While the 2-1 defeat Sunday night was much closer than the 6-0 blowout earlier in the week, the Port Hope Panthers still trail the Napanee Raiders two games to none in the Empire junior C hockey championship series.

However, a third-period goal by team captain Adam Vandertoorn was a positive for the Panthers going forward as it was the first time veteran Napanee netminder Zak Vandenburg was scored on after the first five and a half periods of this series.

Muir, though, isn't taking anything away from Vandenburg, who stopped 71 of the 72 shots he has faced in two games.

"I was saying on the bench, 'We've got to get one past this kid,'" the coach remarked. "He's a great goalie. You have to give credit where credit's due. Fifth year in the league and he's been here before to the finals. You have to give the kid credit, but you do have to find a way to beat him. That last goal was big and the one positive we can build on."

Being his final year, Vandenburg was the definite No. 1 goalie and a leader for the Raiders this season, but the multi-time Empire goaltender of the year was kept to a reasonable workload by the coaching staff as he is their go-to goaltender for the playoffs.

"If he wasn't a goaltender, he would have a letter on his shirt. He's a leader, obviously on the ice and off the ice," said Napanee head coach Mike Casselman.

"He means everything to this team, a huge part of what we are."

Napanee remains undefeated after a series sweep over Picton in the semifinals. They're not to take a 2-0 lead for granted, though, against a Port Hope squad that was unbeaten as well heading into the final.

"I think just taking it game by game. We don't try to look to far ahead," Casselman said of Napanee's success thus far. "It was a good, physical game tonight, nice and close all the way through. At 2-1, you can't afford to take anybody lightly and even the other night, yah we did win 6-0 but I think on the other hand (Port Hope) had four games in a short amount of time with the ultimate high of winning (the series against Amherstview) in double overtime. You're always worried about them coming back and I think it will be a good game on Tuesday."

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is tonight, March 9, in Napanee at 7:30 p.m. The series returns to Port Hope for Game 4 on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. 

Before a crowd of 580 at the Jack Burger Sports Complex on Sunday night, Port Hope had its chances to score in the opening frame, even out-shooting the Raiders by a 15-6 margin, but there was no scoring at the end of 20 minutes.

Napanee scored both its goals, unanswered, in the second period. Peter Roy and Jake Doseger, on a power play, had the goals.

Vandertoorn's tally was scored at the 11:50 mark of the third period and came with two seconds remaining in a Port Hope 5-on-3 power play advantage.

Port Hope could not net the equalizer. One of its greatest strengths in the series sweep over Amherstview was scoring the first goal in each of the contests.

So far, the Raiders hold that distinction in the championship final round.

"If we can find a way to get a lead early, then we'll be alright," Muir said.

"We really, really spent a lot in that Amherstview series, so early in the playoffs," the coach added. We're hurt... bumps, bruises. We only had three lines tonight, realistically. It happens. We made a 2-1 hockey game of it and found a way to beat Vandenburg, so we'll see if we can build on that."

Although the Panthers killed off five of six Napanee power plays, they were just 1-for-8 on their man-advantage opportunities.

"Our power play has to get better; our breakout, establishing the zone and a little bit more urgency," Muir said.

Muir said the Panthers have realize the differences in the series against Amherstview and Napanee.

"We're playing two completely different teams and we have to adjust to that. Amherstview was like a tough, mean, bang-and-crash scrappy team and this team is a well-functioning, much-better hockey team," Muir said.

"They're not as chirpy, they stick to their game plan and play hockey and we have to adjust to that. We can't think we're still in a series against a team that's bangin' and crashin' when we're playing against a team that's much more structured. We can play like that.... We just have to realize who we're playing against and recognize our opponent