That’s Moore like it

Zach Moore backstops Canucks to shutout victories in home-andhome series versus Panthers

There were plenty of panther sightings on the home team’s bench, on the ice and in the penalty box Sunday afternoon at Pelham Arena.

But, once again, there were none on the scoresheet.

For the second time in as many games in Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Golden Horseshoe Conference, the Pelham Panthers offence was unable to put anything past Zach Moore. He stopped all 27 shots faced Sunday backstopping the Niagara Falls Canucks to a 4-0 victory over the host Panthers.

The 19-year-old St. Catharines native, Mr. Zero when the Canucks blanked Pelham 5-0 to open the home-and-home series Friday night in Niagara Falls, lowered his goals-against average to 2.43 while boosting his save percentage to .911 with the strong performances.

Canucks owner-head coach Frank Pietrangelo pointed out that shutouts in junior hockey aren’t all that commonplace in junior B hockey.

“Back-to-back shutouts are even more unique,” he said. “Of course, this a great accomplishment for Zach, but it’s also a good sign for our team.

“Goals haven’t been easy to come by so far this season for us, so we’ve really stressed the defensive side of the game until we start clicking a bit better offensively.”

Moore was envisioned as backing up Adam Dentico, the team’s 20-year-old starter, when the Canucks acquired Moore from the St. Catharines Falcons last season.

However, it didn’t turn out that way.

“Zach took over as our No. 1 and led us to the league playoff semifinals,” Pietrangelo, himself a former goaltender and a Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991, said. “He’s been one of our best, if not our best, player this season.”

Pietrangelo said the laid-back Moore is a great teammate who comes to compete every night.

“He gives us a chance to win every game he starts and, as a coach, this is what you look for in your starter,” the fourth-year coach said. “I see Zach as one of the top goalies in the GOJHL, and I think his puck handling is the best in the entire league, bar none.”

Frank Pucci, Tanner Brown, Maxwell Lightfoot and Garrett Downie accounted for the Canucks offence in Sunday’s matinee, while Matthew Caruso, Patrick McCabe, Downie, Lightfoot and Pucci found the back of the net before an announced crowd of 375 Friday night at Gale Centre.

Shots favoured Niagara Falls by a wide margin in both games: 4427 Sunday; 45-30 Friday.

Both team’s penalty-killing units were equally effective in the rematch yesterday. The Canucks finished the game 0-for-8 on the power play; the Panthers, 0-for-4.

Niagara Falls’ third win in a row improved the junior B team’s record to 5-4, while the Panthers, losers of two straight, fell to 2-7.

The Canucks visit the Buffalo Regals Tuesday for a 7 p.m. faceoff, with Pelham back on the ice Friday with a 7 p.m. road game against the Catharines Falcons.

Saturday night’s Golden Horseshoe action had the Fort Erie Meteors doubling the visiting Welland Jr. Canadians 4-2 and the Caledonia Corvairs defeating the Ancaster Avalanche 5-2 on the road.

There were two late games Sunday: Caledonia at Welland, and the Thorold Blackhawks at Buffalo.