Pickering lost their second game by one goal this week, this time to the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Early goals by Joseph Cadorin and Andre Mondoux put the Panthers up 2-1 by the 13:34 mark of the first period, but Buffalo got two of their own, including one on a power play, to tie it up at the intermission.
The Sabres got the only goal of the second and then added another power-play goal early in the third when the Panthers took a four-minute high-sticking penalty.
Pickering made it interesting in the third as Joey Zhang scored on his own rebound with 5:53 remaining to make it 4-3, but they couldn’t get the tying goal. Ian Michelone faced 45 shots in net and took three in the mask in the third period.
This game also featured a special moment as former Panthers players Sean McMorrow and Luc Chiasson returned to Pickering for the night. The two alumni, who were part of the 1998-99 Panthers team that won the East Division title, participated in a pre-game puck drop ceremony and met the team prior to the game. Their return was a special moment for the organization, sparking memories of their championship season and creating a meaningful connection between past and present Panthers.
This game was the first of three games in three days for the Cats, as they travel to Haliburton on Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. game and then to Markham on Sunday.
