Panthers storm back, earn big point in 2-2 draw
It looked like the UPEI Panthers would drop three points to the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus Friday night, but a furious run late in the game changed everything.
By Thomas Becker
It looked like the UPEI Panthers would drop three points to the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus Friday night, but a furious run late in the game changed everything.
Trailing 2-0 late, the Panthers (1-0-2) tied the game on goals from Kasper Lasia and Max VanWiechen in the 77th minute and the 82nd minute to secure a point in the standings.
While it wasn't the result they were looking for, Lasia said every point matters and that one was big.
"We're glad we got that point, but we feel we could've won these last two games," said Lasia, who was named UPEI's Player of the Game.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first half resulting in a nil-nil stalemate after 45 minutes. However, that changed in the opening minutes of the second half when Moncton scored two quick goals to storm in front.
In the 48th minute, Mathis Trinque found Jonathan Kisse on the left wing where he went to work. Kisse beat Jonathan MacKenzie one-on-one and took a final touch to his right before firing a low shot by Isaac Wolters for the opening goal.
About seven minutes later, Phillipe Gallant swiped the ball from Lasia and took a few strides before finding Robert Kamano to his left where the striker took a touch and tucked a hard shot by the left post for the 2-0 lead.
That sparked the Panthers, who took over the game from that point forward. Lasia cut the deficit in half on a free kick from the top right corner of the 18-yard box that he curled by a diving Matteo Blanc for the beautiful goal.
Five minutes later, UPEI connected on a corner kick when the ball skipped off a player's head and landed in front of VanWiechen, who volleyed it past Blanc for the equalizer.
"We know what we're capable of, and we knew we could come back in this game," said Lasia of the team's mindset after trailing 2-0. "We just kept pushing forward and salvaged the point."
The two teams will renew acquaintances in Moncton next Saturday for a 3:15 tilt.
Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek
