Port Hope Panthers Season Ends with Sweep to Jets

By Jeff Gard/Today’s Northumberland

Four unanswered goals in the first period propelled the Amherstview Jets to an 8-1 win over the Panthers at the Jack Burger Sports in Port Hope to complete the four-game sweep of the PJHL Tod Division semifinal series.

Amherstview opened the scoring two-and-a-half minutes into Game 4 and went up 2-0 at the 12:22 mark with the teams playing at four-on-four. The Panthers were on a power play before being called for too many men on the ice 26 seconds before the Jets scored.

After two more goals in the first, the Jets went on a nine-minute power play – including over a minute spent at 5-on-3 – late in the opening frame when Port Hope’s Ethan Shore received five minutes for fighting and two minutes each for instigating and being the aggressor.

In the second, the Jets scored twice on that lengthy man-advantage opportunity, including the first just six seconds into the period.

Evan Wright, assisted by Austin Gilmour, replied with a power play goal for the Panthers at the 17:11 mark of the middle frame.

Amherstview tacked on power play and shorthanded goals in the third to round out the scoring. Dawson Frost led the way for the Jets with a hat trick while Caden Kekewich scored twice.

Port Hope was called for 79 minutes in penalties on 23 infractions compared to Amherstview’s 22 minutes on seven infractions.

Game 4 was the first game of the series decided by more than two goals.

Following the win over the Panthers, the Jets will move on to face the Napanee Raiders in the Tod Division final in a battle between the top two teams during the regular season. The Raiders defeated the Picton Pirates in five games.