Friday, September 28th, 2007 Durham-4 @ Pickering-5 (SO) PAYNE SCORES 2-GOALS, PLUS SHOOTOUT WINNER, IN COMEBACK VICTORY! PICKERING, ON: Like they did so many times in last years Cinderella playoff run, the Pickering Panthers never quit, erased a 2-goal lead in the final 90-seconds of the 3rd period, and then won it in a shootout... The 1st period was in a word sloppy. Neither team generated much of anything in regards to set attack, fore-check, or defensive system. Helping kill the flow of the game was the discipline from both side, 16-minor penalties were called in the 1st period - Durham's Luigi Martone could score the only PP marker, make it 1-0 Durham after 20-minutes. The 2nd period saw both teams settled down, and the parade to the penalty box eased up. It also saw Pickering jump out of the gate. Just 27-seconds in, and on the powerplay from a 1st period call, Greg Payne pulled Pickering to even with his 4th of the season. Just over two minutes later, the Panthers would take the lead thanks to a pretty goal from Andrew Howes. The Panther rookie walked through the Fury defence, and made a smooth move to the backhand for his 1st career Jr.A goal. The Fury's Quinn Skylar would add a shorthanded goal late, make it 2-2 after 40-minutes. In the 3rd period a 33-stretch midway through the period put Pickering behind the '8-ball'. Skylar and Martone scored two goals as the Panthers seemed to fall asleep on the ice to give the Fury a 4-2 lead. Instead of settling into a defensive system the Fury picked up their physical play and the game grew chippy quickly. This started a pair of fights. First Panther veteran Brad Fleishman and Chris Marchant engaged in a spirited tilt off the faceoff. Second it was Panther rookie Andrew Howes taking on Aaron Pierce. Having both a vet and rookie step up seemed to give the Panthers an added boost, and in the team's never-say-die attitude, the crowd was in for an amazing finish. With around 2-minutes left in the game Panther Head Coach Mark Joslin called timeout to have one last strategy session with the boys. It worked. On the PP and with goalie pulled Pickering rookie Brendan Hann converted on a play from Jamie MacQueen and Payne to make it 4-3. Just under a minute later, and with 34-seconds left on the clock, the trio clicked again. This time Payne converted from MacQueen and Hann. In a stunning final 90-seconds the Panthers erased a 2-goal deficit to tie the game at 4-4. Overtime solved nothing, the Panthers were headed to their 1st ever shootout. Jamie MacQueen scored for Pickering right off the bat with a beautiful shot. Connor Sampson stopped 2-goal scored Luigi Martone on Durham's first attempt. Through three shooter each side would have 1-goal. We were down to the sudden death shot-for-shot shooters. Rob McKay walked in on Sampson, made a quick head fake and fired, Sampson stood tall and made an excellent save. Greg Payne would shoot for Pickering. The 2-goal man on the night walked in a calmly put on post and in upstairs. Make the final Pickering-5 vs Durham-4 in a shootout. The Panthers travel to Vaughan Monday night to face the Vaughan Vipers - Game time is 7:15pm. COPYWRIGHT PICKERING PANTHERS JR.A HOCKEY CLUB NEXT GAME PICKERING PANTHERS @ VAUGHAN VIPERS MON.OCT.1st 7:15PM 2007 NCAA COMMITMENTS NCAA DIV.I MICHAEL BANWELL MAINE NCAA DIV.I RICHARD SCHOFIELD LAKE SUPERIOR NCAA DIV.I ZACK FENWICK MERCYHURST NCAA DIV.III BRAD FOGAL ADRIAN COLLEGE NCAA DIV.III KEVIN HUININK SALEM STATE 2007 OHL SIGNINGS JESSES HEBSCHER SUDBURY