The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) finals have been a roller coaster, with both the Peninsula Panthers and Campbell River Storm trading momentum in a back-and-forth battle.
The Panthers stormed out to a 2-0 series lead, opening with a 4-2 victory last Monday at Panorama Recreation Centre before edging the Storm 4-3 at Rod Brind’amour Arena on Wednesday.
“The ups and downs of this series have been incredible,” said Panthers head coach Tyler Stanton. “But hey, that’s what playoff hockey is all about. We’ll bounce back on Tuesday, and I hope we can pack the building again to cheer the boys on.”
Campbell River roared back on Friday with a dramatic 2-1 double-overtime win in front of a packed crowd at Panorama. Less than 24 hours later, they carried that momentum into a 5-2 victory on home ice, evening the series at two games apiece.
Friday’s double-overtime thriller was one of the most electric games of the VIJHL season, featuring a staggering 104 combined shots – 54 from the Panthers and 50 from the Storm.
Goaltenders Hunter Farrer (Panthers) and Kaeden Serpa (Storm) were at their best, with Serpa delivering a standout performance in the third period and overtime, turning away a series of golden opportunities.
In the end, it was Jan-Felix Faupel who played hero for the Storm, firing a pinpoint shot into the top corner in the second overtime to seal the win for Campbell River. That victory set the stage for their dominant performance on Saturday, which levelled the series.
Now, all eyes turn to game five on Tuesday night at Panorama, with the winner gaining a chance to clinch the championship on Wednesday in Campbell River.
With home-ice advantage in their favour, the Panthers would host a potential game seven on Friday if needed.
Game five is set for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Panorama Recreation Centre.
