The PDS Boys’ Varsity Hockey team faced longtime rivals Lawrenceville in one of the most anticipated games of the year on January 22. The crowds at Lisa McGraw Rink were electric, with students from both schools packing the stands, waving posters, and chanting as the two teams battled it out on the ice. Despite a hard effort from the Panthers, Lawrenceville emerged victorious with a 4-1 win.

From the first face-off, intensity filled the rink. The Panthers wasted no time showing their offensive talents, with senior Reilly Gilligan scoring first, assisted by junior Filip Kacmarsky. For the remainder of the first period, both teams battled it out with good opportunities on both sides, but no team could find the back of the net. 

The energy was high as the two teams headed into the second period. Specifically, junior Collin Myat appreciated “the chirps and chants led by the ZOO Leaders” and commented on how they increased “the energy and spirits of not only the athletes but the student section too.” 

However, the game quickly turned when Lawrenceville capitalized on a five-minute penalty after a skirmish broke out in front of Big Red’s goal. The Panthers were also handed an additional two-minute penalty shortly after, leading to an extended power play for Lawrenceville. Taking full advantage of this, Big Red scored three times, flipping the game’s momentum. 

Despite a strong third period, with various opportunities and good attacks, PDS couldn’t find the back of the net again, and the game was sealed with Lawrenceville’s empty-net goal in the final minute. While the result wasn’t what the Panthers hoped for, junior Zoo Leader Danny Rozenblat summed up the game, saying, “It was one of the few times where the whole school was together voluntarily, and [I] thought that it was a lot of fun and the energy was definitely there.”