The Haliburton County Huskies almost pulled off an unlikely comeback against the Pickering Panthers on home
ice Oct. 11, recovering from a four-goal shellacking in the opening frame to run the visitors close in a 5-4 defeat.
All the attention pre-game was on former Huskies captain Patrick Saini, who returned to the Highlands to see his
number 75 jersey retired by the organization. The 22-year old was a franchise cornerstone for years, recording 256
points in 218 games over four seasons.
It was another familiar face who almost stole all the headlines, though. Declan Bowmaster made his season
debut for the Huskies, potting twice in the middle frame after rejoining the blue and white following a five-game
stint with the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the British Columbia Hockey League.
He joined centreman Nic Ferrante, acquired from the Markham Royals last week, to add some grit and experience to this young Huskies team.
“We’re happy to get a player of Declan’s calibre back – he’s a good kid and is going to help on the offensive side
a lot,” said coach Jordan Bailey. “Nic is very good in the faceoff circle, a strong penalty killer and great depth piece
to help improve our roster.”
It was a first-period capitulation for the Huskies on Saturday. They were picked apart for the Panthers first goal – an advancing Charlie Key was found by Joseph Cadorin with only Carter Nadon to beat, with the Pickering forward
showing quick hands to make it 1-0 at 4:03.
Carter Fogarty doubled the Panthers advantage at 9:13 and Key made it a three-goal game at 11:12, beating
a screened Nadon high with a drive from the blueline. Fogarty made it 4-0 at 14:44 – he and Key each had four
points in the first period blitz.
The Huskies did create some openings – Chase Del Colombo was busy at right wing and he got the home side on the board at 16:03 on the powerplay, deking around a defensemen in the faceoff circle before advancing on Pickering goalie Anthony Sciere and roofing the puck over his shoulder.
Isaac Larmand had a chance for an immediate second a minute later but couldn’t beat Sciere – the Huskies ended
the period down 4-1, but leading in shots on goal 15-12.
It was the Bowmaster show in the second. He scored his first at 2:26 on the powerplay after being found at the point by Oliver Tang and rifling the puck past Sciere. He scored again on the man advantage at 9:34, another rip from the point, to get the Huskies close, but Vasily Serov halted the momentum with the eventual game-winner 13:18 into the second.
The ice appeared tilted for much of the third and while Larmand ate into the deficit with his second of the season
at 10:09, the Huskies couldn’t find another way past Sciere, who finished the period with 15 saves, and the game with 40.
Huskies 3-0 North York
A 30-save shutout from Nadon backstopped the Huskies to a confidence-boosting 3-0 road win over the North York
Rangers Oct. 12.
Ferrante helped himself to the game’s first goal 7:56 into the first, assisted by Curtis Allen and Kaiden Thatcher.
Bowmaster scored unassisted 3:47 into the second and completed the scoring midway through the third, notching a
powerplay marker at 9:34, assisted by Larmand and Tang.
- The win took the Huskies to ninth in the East Conference, with 10 points from 12 games (4-6-2 record). The team
- sits level on points with the Aurora Tigers, who hold the division’s final playoff spot a month into the season. The Huskies are back in action Friday on the road in Pickering before welcoming the Tigers to Minden Oct. 18,
- puck drop is 4 p.m. The Huskies play again at home Oct. 21, hosting the Toronto Patriots with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
