Panthers’ forward, Marc Brosseau (28), played a key roll in the Panthers’ 5-4 victory scoring a hat trick, which included the game winner in overtime. Brosseau also added a help and with the four points moved into first place in team scoring with 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points in 37 games. Sawyer Helmer photo
Jeff Moore
Record Staff
EMBRUN —The Embrun Panthers had just a single game this past weekend.
Panthers 5 Aeros 4 (OT): The Panthers welcomed the Athens Aeros to the Palais des Sports on Fri., Dec. 22, in the CCHL2 in their final game before the Christmas break. The Panthers went into the game in third place in the Martin Division just six points behind the second-place Ottawa Canadians and four points ahead of the Ottawa West Golden Knights in fourth place.
The Aeros sat in second place in the Richardson Division but have been in a dog fight with their rivals, the Westport Rideaus, who sat just two points behind them. The Aeros also sat six points out of first place behind the Carleton Place Canadians with four games in hand.
The Aeros opened the scoring at 5:48 of the first period on a power play to take a 1-0 lead. The Aeros made it 2-0 at 8:48 and took that lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 15-5 by the Panthers.
The Panthers got to within one when Justin Brennan snapped one home from Noah Haymes and Pierce Britton at 4:52 of the second period and tied the game when Joey Larcher fired one to the back of the net at 6:56 from Marc Brosseau and Andrew Burke.
The Aeros retook the lead at 7:42 but Brosseau got the Panthers back to even at 11:31 from Tristan Whynot and goalie Jean Pascal Sabourin. The teams took the three-all draw into the second intermission.
Brosseau scored his second of the game at 12:24 of the third on the power play from Brennan and Britton giving the Panthers their first lead of the game. With time winding down in regulation the Aeros pulled their goalie in favour of an extra attacker and made it count scoring with just 42 seconds showing on the clock.
Neither team could score the game winner before the final buzzer so the game headed to a five-minute three-on-three overtime period. The Panthers’ Brosseau ended the game at 2:29 of overtime when he completed his hat trick becoming the overtime hero from Britton and Burke.
With the win, the Panthers climb to within four of the second-place Ottawa Canadians. Picking up the win in the Panthers’ goal was Sabourin making 13 saves on 17 shots.
Up next: Fri., Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Panthers vs. Timberwolves, Ma-te-Way Rink, Renfrew; Sun., Jan. 7, 1:30 p.m., Panthers vs. Alexandria Glens, Palais des Sports, Embrun.
