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PANTHERS SPLIT A PAIR AT SHOWCASE

Date: Dec 30, 2009

(Newmarket, Ont)The Pickering Panthers were able to win 1 of there 2 games played this week at the Central Canadian Hockey Leagues showcase tournament. The Panthers opened the showcase Monday against the Streetsville Derby's and lost a close battled game 4-2. Scoring in the contest for Pickering was Tyler von Engelbrechten on the power play recording his 15^th goal of the season and team leading 41^st point. Getting the assists was veteran Mike Shirley and Jesse Brown. Jordan Ramsay scored the 2^nd goal for the Panthers and picking up the assist was rookie Derek Brown. Brennan Knoblock was between the pipes for Pickering managing to save 41 of the 45 shots faced.

It was a different game Wednesday morning when Pickering faced the Dixie Beehives. The game was full of excellent scoring chances for both teams and a pretty physical game with Pickering really throwing their weight around and playing dominant in the Beehives zone. Pickering managed to score with 45 seconds left in the game to defeat the Beehives 3-2. Rookie Justin Macdonald won the key face off in the Dixie end and was able to get the puck back to Jordan Ramsay who fired a slap shot that made no mistake in beating the Beehives net minder. Shirley and Macdonald scored the other 2 goals for the Panthers squad. Veteran goalie Anthony Kimlin faced his former team and picked up his 12^th win of the season stopping 30 of the 32 shots. The win snapped a 3 game losing streak for Pickering and hopefully can put them on the right track in the 12 remaining games and possibly make a push for a playoff spot.

The Panthers still currently sit in last place in the Central Canadian Hockey League east division with 28 points and are just 10 points out of the playoff hunt; however with a potential 24 points still up for grabs it is still not to early to count them out of the playoff race. Only 9 points separate the 8^th place team and the 2^nd place team in the East division standings and with eleven of the twelve remaining games being against teams from their own conference, the Panthers will need to come up with some much needed wins if they want any hope at a post season birth.

Pickering plays this Sunday January 3^rd against the St Mikes Buzzers. The game is the 1^st and only time the two teams will meet this season, and will be Pickering's last game of the season against a team from the West conference. The Panthers will then get a full week of practice not playing again until January 8^th when they play at home against the Lindsay Muskies, puck drop is 7:30pm.

ALL PICKERING MINOR HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE FREE!! Wear your team jersey and come out and support your local Pickering Panthers Jr A hockey club.

 "Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about."

                                                                                        -unknown 

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