DECEMBER 7, 2006

THE CuprE © 14°

SPORTS

Panthers snap seven-game losing streak

Josh Lewis Sports Editor

The UPEI Panthers knew that if they kept working hard, they were bound to win eventually.

The hard work paid off for the Panthers Friday night, as they won for the first time since Oct. 28 in a 6-3 defeat of the St. Thomas Tommies at MacLauchlan Arena.

Erik Lundmark had a goal and and two assists in the win, which improved UPEI to 3-9-2 on the year.

It was the third straight loss for the Tommies, who are tied for second place in the AUS with 20 points and are ranked seventh in the country.

The Panthers battled back from a 2-0 deficit late in the first period and never looked back, scoring six straight goals before Kyle McAllister’s power play goal made it 6-3 with 7:35 remaining in the third period.

Justin Bowers opened the scoring for the visitors at 9:55 of the first on a two-on-none breakaway with Jean Bourbeau. A_ defensive breakdown by the Panthers and a smart pass by Jeff Bateman allowed the two forwards to take their time and left goaltender Dayne Davis with little chance.

The Tommies upped their lead to 2-0 with four minutes left in the first

after Ryan Card buried a Kyle Gailey rebound past Davis. Aaron Lobb picked up the other assist after being hammered at centre ice by a Panther forward.

The Panthers roared back, however, scoring two power play goals in 66 seconds late in the period. Stephen Cooke scored his first of the season at 17:34 after the rebound of Josh Patterson’s shot found his stick. Kyle Spurr tied the game just over a minute later, also scoring his first of the year. Lundmark and Craig Foster drew assists.

UPEI picked up where they left off in the second period. With Bateman still in the box for a hooking call late in the first period, Jeff MacDermid gave the Panthers their first lead of the game. Lundmark and Cooke had helpers. Almost 15 minutes later, Ryan Kitchen added his third of the season from Patterson and Tyson Gimblett to make it 4-2 after 40 minutes.

Three minutes into the third, MacDermid sprang Foster and Thomas Waugh on a two-on-one, with Waugh burying Foster’s pass just above the blocker of goaltender Aaron Molnar to make it 5-2. Lundmark put the game on ice at 5:51, finding the net on a slapshot from just inside the

Panther goaltender Dayne Davis

Photo: Josh Lewis

blueline to put the Panthers up by four. Paul Drew was a surprise scratch in goal, with Davis making 17 saves in a rare start, including several crucial stops in the first period.

UPEI hosted third-ranked UNB at home Saturday night in their last game before the Christmas break. They return to the ice Jan. 6, taking on the St. FX. X-Men in Antigonish.