By: Andrew Cheverie
The Mission City Outlaws played host to the visiting Port Moody Panthers at the Mission Leisure Centre on Saturday, October 28. Both teams came into Saturday nights game on a three-game losing skid and were hungry for a win.
It was a closely contested first period, both teams forced turnovers in the neutral zone and played physical. The Panthers outshot the Outlaws 12-5 but both teams got their share of scoring opportunities. Matthew Trulsen and Alexander Kong did well to see pucks and smother rebounds as the teams went to the dressing rooms for the first intermission tied 0-0
The two teams came out swinging to start the second. Alexander McGovern connected with some devastating open ice hits and Haydn Downing responded with some hard hip checks that sent Panthers forwards ass over tea kettle. Brayden Szabados rubbed Liam Warren out hard on the boards in the Panthers zone and the two were on their feet chucking knuckles instantaneously. The tussle between Szabados and Warren, though seemingly ordinary, would change the tone of the game.
Power forward Kyle Mooney would open the scoring in this contest 7:46 into the second, beating Alexander Kong with a well placed low snap shot off the far post and in. The Outlaws would pour on the pressure and force the Panthers to take two minor penalties in their own zone just 4 seconds apart. The two-man advantage didn’t quite go as planned for the Outlaws as Panthers star goal scorer Cameron Judson knocked down a saucer pass at the Outlaws blue line and slipped the puck between the pads of Trulsen on the ensuing breakaway.
The physical nature of this game continued to escalate with the teams knotted at a goal a piece. Cameron Judson caught Connor Jollymore with a hard hit that popped Jollymore’s lid off and Justin Bowerman flattened a Panthers forward with a show stopping body check that brought the crowd to their feet near the end of the period.
Maximilian Corazza and Jack Hamilton traded goals for their respective squads early in the third period. Big Josh Martin drove hard to the net and put the Outlaws up 3-2, Jollymore and Heslop drawing the helpers. Nevan Flay sparked his team by dropping the gloves with Michael Nemeth behind the Outlaws net. It was spirited tilt that the Panthers would rally behind as Daniel Sclater evened the score mere seconds after the fight. Mark Cherkasov took a run at Matthew Trulsen immediately following the goal and the Outlaws power play got a chance to go to work midway through the third period. Justin Bowerman wired a hard shot past Alexander Kong on the ensuing power play to bring the crowd to their feet for the second time that evening.
The rough stuff culminated at 11:25 of the third period with a heavyweight fight between Trey Cadwell and Joshua Martin. The two combatants stood at centre ice and traded hard right hands for what seemed like an eternity in front of astonished fans and teammates. Bloodied and bruised, Martin and Cadwell congratulated each other as the linesman stepped in, a true sign of respect and sportsmanship. The crowd cheered and the benches banged their sticks on the boards as the pugilists made their way to the dressing rooms.
The Panthers outshot the Outlaws 22-7 in the third period. Matthew Trulsen stopped shot after shot as time wound down and The Outlaws held on to win by a final score of 4-3.
Outlaws captain Justin Bowerman earned first star honours Saturday, scoring the game-winner. After the game Bowerman had some praise for his team saying, “We wanted to win, we had a good effort out there and we didn’t take too many penalties.” The 20-year-old appeared to be favouring his upper body after that bone-crunching collision in the second period but showed a tremendous amount of character to carry on and lead his team to victory.
Maximilian Corazza showed up to play Saturday, putting up a three-point night against his old team. Corazza was pointless in 8 games with Panthers this season. Since being dealt to the Outlaws he has 4 goals and 4 assists in 9 games. When asked about the stark contrast in point production he said, ”I just feel like they didn’t believe in me much, I didn’t get much ice time in Port Moody, now that I’m over here in mission I’m getting the ice time I feel I deserve and I’ve been putting up points to maintain that ice time.”
Despite the victory, coach Mike Renner feels his team is capable of much more. “I think we came out flat tonight, we were flat for the first 40 and flat for the first 5 minutes of the third and even though we won tonight we played far better in the last 4 games. But, we won tonight and that’s a good thing, that’s a bonus. I’m pretty happy with the boys, they all came together in the third and a coach can’t ask for much more than that.” When asked about his team’s physical play on Saturday night he said, “I think with our young guys and our speed, our guys that play physical have got to bring it and that’s what they did…We were missing a couple guys tonight due to suspension and that really hurt us offensively. It’s not just about playing physical, it’s about playing a full 60 minutes and playing a complete game.
Veteran defenseman Rowan Lougheed made his debut Saturday night wearing #16. Lougheed had made two appearances against the Outlaws with his former team, the Langley Trappers earlier in the season. When asked about how he felt about playing for the Outlaws instead of against them he said, “they are a pretty rough team to play against so it’s better to be on the right side of things. It’s going to be really good, I already get along with most of the guys and I’m fitting in and getting lots of ice time.” When asked what he wants to bring to the Outlaws moving forward Lougheed said, “mostly work ethic, always coming to the gym ready to work hard and coming to the rink ready to work hard.”
On Wednesday, November 1 the Outlaws will travel to Aldergrove to take on the reigning PJHL champions. The teams have split the season series this year one game a piece. Next Saturday, November 4 the Outlaws will host the visiting Grandview Steelers at the Mission Leisure Centre. Come out and see the action live or catch it all on playfullscreen.com
Jesse James, in the slot... 