Panthers are prowling
If you need evidence Mark Barrick’s re-tooled Pelham Panthers are moving in the right direction, look no further than the teams 7-5 road win over St. Catharines Oct. 6.
Pelham took a 4-2 lead into the third period, then matched the high-powered Falcons goal for goal until time ran out. Adam Scholz scored an empty-net insurance marker with six seconds left to seal the deal.
Of course, one win doesn’t make a season. The Panthers came crashing down to earth Sunday in Pelham with a 9-2 loss to Ancaster at the Pelham Arena.
Such are the ups and downs of a team that’s been in rebuilding mode since it moved to Pelham for the 2014-2015 season.
The Panthers bottomed out in 2015-2016 with a record of 1-454. That season they scored 105 goals and gave up 381 in 50 games.
This season and the Panthers have four wins in the bank, and Barrick thinks he can get more out of this bunch.
“I like how we are coming together as a team,” Barrick said. “I like the chemistry and the character and the way the dressing room is right now. I’m pleased with that.
“We are probably younger this year than I thought we would be. I have three 16-year-olds and seven 17-year-olds. There is going to be some growing and learning. It helps that they are talented hockey players and they mix well with our 18, 19 and 20-year-olds.”
Noah Caperchione, a 17-year-old from Port Colborne, leads the Panthers in scoring with six goals and one assist. Jared Hill, a 17-year-old from Caledonia, is second in team scoring with three goals and four assists.
Hill was drafted by the London Knights of the OHL and acquired by Pelham in a trade with Ancaster for Bailey Stumpo.
Stumpo has three goals and four assists in 11 games split between Ancaster and Pelham.
“The trade was a win-win situation for both sides,” Barrick said. “We got a very good hockey player in Jared Hill. He was an AP for us last year. Jared is kind of snakebitten right now, but he has some great hands and can put the puck in the net.
“I would like to see more compete from everybody on this team. I would like to see a more consistent effort. Probably the biggest thing I would like to see is our guys believe in themselves. They don’t give themselves enough credit right now.
“That’s the biggest sermon that I will continue to preach — believe in themselves, and good things will happen. We have a good group of young men. They are a good bunch of hockey players. Once we start believing, good things will happen.
“We need to go out there every time and play a hard-working, inyour-face, straight-up style. We aren’t close to that yet, but that’s what we are striving for.”
Caledonia Corvairs
Record: 11-1-0-0, Goals for: 69; Goals against 21; Penalty minutes 352; Points 22.
Special Teams: Power Play: 15.25 per cent (16th in league of 26); Penalty Killing: 80 per cent (22nd).
On the scoresheet: Sean O’Brien: 8 goals, 12 assists, 20 points; Adam Craievich: 11 goals, 7 assists, 18 points; Jesse Barwell: 4 goals, 14 assists, 18 points. Between the pipes: Brandon McCorriston: Games plays 10, Shutouts: 2; GAA 1.47, Save percentage: .933.
Last week: win at Fort Erie, 8-1. Upcoming: Friday at Niagara Falls, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at Ancaster, 7:30 p.m.;
St. Catharines Falcons
Record: 10-3-0-1; Goals for: 69; Goals against: 38; Penalty minutes 356; Points 21.
Special Teams: Power play: 28 per cent (2nd); Penatly Killing: 88 per cent (4th).
On the scoresheet: Michael Davies: 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points; Lucas Smilsky: 7 goals, 17 assists, 24 points; Hayden Broomhead: 11 goals, eight assists, 17 points.
Between the pipes: Owen Savory: Games played 12, Shutouts 1, Goals against: 2.25; Save percentage: .933. Last week: loss to Thorold, 5-4, OT; win at Buffalo, 9-1.
Upcoming: Friday vs. Ancaster, 7 p.m.; Sunday at Pelham, 3 p.m.
Niagara Falls
Record: 10-5-0-0; Goals for: 55; Goals against: 35; Penalty Minutes 253; Points 20.
Special Teams: Power play: 21.8 per cent (4th); Penalty Kill: 85 percent (11th).
On the scoresheet: Frank Pucci: 10 goals, 14 assists, 24 points; Matthew Caruso: 5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points; Ryan Mooney: 2 goals, 14 assists, 14 points.
Between the pipes: Zach Moore: Games played 13, shutouts 2, Goals against average; 2.11; Save percentage: .924.
Last week: win, vs. Welland, 6-1; loss, at Ancaster, 2-1.
Upcoming: Friday vs. Caledonia, 7 p.m.; Satuday at Buffalo, 2 p.m.
Ancaster
Record: 8-2-0-0, Goals for: 52; Goals against: 28; Penalty minutes: 256; Points 16.
Special Teams: Power play: 21.4 per cent (6th); Penalty Killing: 88.9 per cent; Points 16.
On the scoresheet: Liam Van Loon: 8 goals, 8 assists, 16 points; Benjamin Woodhouse: 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 points; Noah Romeo: 4 goals, six assists, 10 points.
Between the pipes: Ryan Dugas: Games played 5; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 2.60; Save percentage .916; Tanner Sheppard: Games played 5; Shutouts 1; Goals against average: 3.00; Save percentage: .883.
Last week: Saturday, win vs. Niagara Falls, 2-1; Sunday, win at Pelham, 9-2. Upcoming: Friday, at St. Catharines, 7 p.m.; Saturday, vs. Caledonia, 7:30 p.m.
Thorold
Record: 5-7-1-0; Goals for: 45; Goals against: 56; Penalty minutes 194; Points 11. Special Teams: Power play: 21.4 per cent (6th); Penalty Killing: 81 percent (19th).
On the scoresheet: Brendan Charlton: 8 goals, 4 assists, 12 points; Griffen Fox: 4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points; Mason Howard, 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points. Between the pipes: Anthony Tremonte: Games played 10; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 4.37; Save percentage: .875; Eric Dhillon: Games played: 3; Shutouts 1; Goals against average: 3.37; Save percentage: .880. Last week: Friday, win at St. Catharines: 5-4; Sunday, loss at Welland, 4-3. Upcoming Games: Thursday vs. Fort Erie, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday at Fort Erie, 7:15 p.m.
Welland
Record: 4-7-1-1; Goals for: 44; Goals against: 50; Penalty minutes: 222; Points 10.
Special teams: Power play: 13.2 per cent (18th); Penalty Killing: 13.2 per cent (7th).
On the scoresheet: Noah Blakely: 6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points; Matthew Giannini, 6 goals, 6 assists, 12 points; Daelyn Minovski: 3 goals, 9 assists, 12 points.
Between the pipes: Charles Grimard: Games played: 9; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 3.46; Save percentage: .913; Simon Wood: Games played 5; shutouts: 0; Goals against average 4.45: Save percentage: .868. Last week: Friday, loss at Niagara Falls, 6-1; Sunday, win vs. Thorold, 4-3. Upcoming games: Friday at Pelham, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday vs. Fort Erie, 7:05 p.m.
Pelham
Record: 4-9-0-0; Goals for: 32; Goals against: 65; Penalty minutes: 342; Points 8.
Special teams: Power play: 10.4 per cent (22nd); Penalty killing: 79.4 per cent (23rd).
On the scoresheet: Noah Caperchione: 6 goals, 1 assist, 7 points; Jared Hill: 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points; Matt Ruigrok: 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points. Between the pipes: Erie Schneider: Games played 2; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 2.52; Nicholas Kidd: Games 4; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 5.74; Save percentage: .868. Last week: Saturday, loss at Fort Erie, 3-2; Sunday, loss vs. Ancaster, 9-2. Upcoming Games: Friday vs. Welland, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday vs. St. Catharines, 3 p.m.
Fort Erie
Record: 3-8-0-0; Goals for 23; Goals against 53; Penalty minutes: 195; Points 6.
Special teams: Power plays: 7.14 per cent (25th); Penalty Killing: 77.4 per cent (25th).
On the scoresheet: Mike Masotti: 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points; Marco Lariccia: 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points; Drew Passero: 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points; Daniel Nardi: 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points.
Between the pipe: Jacob Hearne: Games played: 5, Shutouts: 0, Goals against average: 5.00; Save percentage: .860; Tyler Szczepaniak: Games played: 6; Shutouts: 0; Goals against average: 4.67. Save percentage: .870.
Last week: Friday, win vs. Pelham, 3-2; Sunday, loss at Caledonia, 8-1. Upcoming: Thursday, at Thorold, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday vs. Thorold, 7:15 p.m.
Buffalo
Record: 0-13-0-0; Goals for: 18; Goals against: 78; Penalty minutes: 263. Points 0.
Special teams: Power play: 6.85 per cent (26th); Penalty Killing: 83.9 per cent (13th);
On the scoresheet: Cameron Clark: 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points; John Mueller: 3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points; Joseph Marazalek: 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points.
Between the pipes: Harrison Guigui: Games played 2; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 3.79; Save percentage: .917; Nikolaos Manetas: Games played: 6; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 4.18; Save Percentage: .856; Peyton Zern: Games played 8; Shutouts 0; Goals against average: 8.19; Save Percentage: .805.
Last week: Tuesday, loss vs. St. Catharines, 9-1. Upcoming: Saturday, vs. Niagara Falls, 2 p.m.