Jared Gomes was credited with the game-winning goal at 9:17 of the third period that broke a 3-3 tie, and gave the Panthers a 4-3 win over the Moncton Blue Eagles.
The Atlantic University Sport exhibition men’s hockey game attracted an estimated 350 fans to the Evangeline Recreation Centre.
Mike MacIsaac of O’Leary and Chris Desousa set up Gomes’ goal. MacIsaac, playing the left point on the power play, fed a cross-ice pass to Desousa, who fed the to Gomes on the goal-line in the right-wing corner. Gomes’ pass out front to Matt Carter, who was positioned on the edge of the goal crease, deflected off a body in front past Moncton goaltender Andre-Michel Guay.
Although the Blue Eagles had a couple of close calls over the final half of the third period, they were unable to get the puck past Panthers goaltender Mavric Parks, who preserved the win with a reaction save off a low shot from the edge of the goal crease with 2.8 seconds remaining.
Opens scoring
Desousa scored the opening goal of the first period at 6:35.
Charles Bergeron tied the for the Blue Eagles at 5:16 of the second period. MacIsaac gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead at 11:51, just seconds after Moncton starting goaltender Pierre-Alexandre Marion stopped him on a breakaway.
Alex Wall’s knuckleball shot beat Guay on glove side at 13:18 to increase the Panthers’ lead to 3-1.
However, Pier-Alexandre Poulin snapped the puck past Parks on a 2-on-1 at 13:52 to bring the Blue Eagles to within 3-2 following 40 minutes.
Alex Quesnel was the beneficiary of a turnover at the UPEI blue-line, and he made no mistake beating Parks through the legs on a breakaway to tie the game at 5:16.
Penalties
Although both teams were playing their first game in almost a month, the game featured some chippy and intense play at times.
Referees Wayne Doyle and Mike Annear called a total of 15 minor penalties – eight of those against the Blue Eagles, who also picked up two 10-minute misconducts.
Regular season
The Panthers resume regular-season play on Friday, Jan. 6, against the Saint Mary’s Huskies at MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI campus. Game time is 7 p.m.
jpsports@journalpioneer.com
