The Panthers successfully defended the Pure NZ Cup in their second match up against the Seawolves, claiming a 5-0 victory.
The first period was fraught with penalties, with the Seawolves giving up 5 power plays to the Panthers, yet still managing a great defensive effort to allow no goals with one man in the box each time. However, in between power plays, the Panthers managed to sneak in a goal finishing the first period with a 1-0 lead.
The second period also featured a number of penalties, this time with the Panthers committing 3 offences for tripping and boarding, however the Seawolves were unable to capitalise on the power plays. Mid way through the period, the Panthers scored their second goal to bring the score 2-0 in their favour at the end of the period.
The third period a more friendly affair with no more penalties, however the Panthers continued their attack scoring a further 3 goals to end the game 5-0.
The new Cup format for the 2017 season will see Junior teams compete against one another on a monthly basis, with the winning team on the night holding the Cup (and bragging rights!) for the following month.
The next scheduled games for the Cup Series are set to take place on August 14th.