With eight games to go in the season, the Delta Icehawks kept their playoff hopes alive, defeating the Port Moody Panthers 5-2 on home ice Tuesday night.
Jayson Beauregard started the night off with a goal for Port Moody. He passed the puck into the slot and Marcus Pantazis’ stick was in the wrong place at the wrong time, tipping the puck in past Jordy Engleson.
About two minutes later, the Icehawks were pressuring and after a scramble in front of the net, the puck made its way out to Ryan Bayley at the point. His wrister made it through traffic out front, going off the left post and in.
Later in the period with Delta was on the power play, Marcus Pantazis carried the puck deep into Port Moody’s zone and dished it off to Jordin Kojima. Kojima took a shot, and Brad Fortin was there to grab the rebound, making a quick move to Pantazis, who scored to make it 2-1 Delta.
The Panthers weren’t done though; Eric Shipley came down the left wing and passed to Donovan Bellmond-Griffin, who spun around and found Tyson Tilley alone on the side of the net, and Tilley sent the two teams into the intermission knotted 2-2.
The second period lacked goals, but the Icehawks provided lots of action, coming up with quite a few chances on multiple power plays. They outshot the Panthers 12-2 in the frame.
Delta eventually did break through in the third, putting three more goals on the board.
Fortin brought the puck around the Panthers’ net and set up Brice Kemp, who sent a one-time wrister past Naveen Kainth for the 3-2 lead and eventual winning goal.
Kyle Robinson added some insurance with a late power play goal. Robinson was looking to make a pass, but Kainth tried to poke-check the pass and instead chipped the puck in over his shoulder, making it 4-2 for the home team.
The Panthers pulled their goalie for the extra man, but Delta retained possession of the puck and continued pushing. Cole Bromhead fought through a couple defenders in the slot, backhanding home an empty-netter to seal the win for Delta just 33 seconds later.
The win puts the Icehawks at 38 points with seven games left. They now trail the White Rock Whalers by three points in the Tom Shaw Conference in the playoff picture. Looking at the possible cross-over with the Harold Brittain Conference, they trail the tied Ridge Meadows Flames and Aldergrove Kodiaks by one point, 39 to 38.
