The Embrun Panthers welcomed the CCHL2 league leaders, the Ottawa Jr. Canadians to the Palais des Sports on Fri., Feb. 15. The Panthers’ forward, David Toppa (16) scored on his play to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the opening frame of their tilt. Toppa scored a goal and a helper and the Panthers upset the Canadians 3-2. Moore photo
EMBRUN—The Embrun Panthers played just a single game on the weekend as they welcomed the first place Ottawa Jr. Canadians on Friday night to close out their season.
Panthers 3 Canadians 2
The Embrun Panthers welcomed the Ottawa Jr. Canadians to the Palais des Sports on Fri., Feb. 15, in the CCHL2. The Panthers went into the game in seventh place in the Martin Division and will not qualify to play in the post season and were just playing for pride against the number one seed.
The Panthers opened the scoring at 15:09 as David Toppa scored his first of the season as a Panther from Marc Brosseau and Alex Rossides taking a 1-0 lead. The Panthers took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The teams battled to a scoreless second period despite the Canadians outshooting the Panthers 12-8. The Panthers carried the 1-0 lead into the second intermission.
The Panthers made it 2-0 when Cayden Martin scored his eighth of the season from Toppa and Brosseau at the 13-minute mark of the third period. The Canadians got on the score board at 17:26 on the power play but the Panthers quickly restored their two-goal lead when Philippe Plante scored his sixth of the season from Martin at 18:50. The Canadians got to within one with just 1:02 remaining in regulation.
The Panthers were able to hold the Canadians at bay and took the game 3-2 becoming just the fourth team to beat the Canadians in regulation this season. The Canadians outshot the Panthers 36-33.
Picking up the win in the Panthers’ goal was Cody MacEachern making 34 saves.
Up next
The Embrun Panthers travel to the J. R. Brisson Complex in Casselman on Thurs., Feb. 21, to take on the Vikings at 7:30 p.m. and then travel to the Cobden Arena on Fri., Feb. 22, to take on the Whitewater Kings at 7:30 p.m.
