Jackson Spees scored four goals for the SPASH Panthers in 23 games during the regular season. His hat-trick proved to be the difference in the Panthers 5-3 sectional semi-final win over the Hudson Raiders on Tuesday night at KB Willet Arena.

The first period time of possession and shots on goal were even for the two squads, but scoring opportunities were squarely on the SPASH side. Hudson was able to put 10 shots on goal, but most were from the outside and Panther goalie Mason Spurlin had a good clear view at each of them. The skilled Point forwards were able to get inside the Raiders defense and made Hudson goalie Owen Prescher’s job much harder.

Hudson handed SPASH the first opportunity by taking a major checking from behind penalty less than six minutes into the first period. The Panthers negated part of their power play chance by taking a holding penalty just 30 seconds in. Once they did get back to a man advantage, Spees tallied his first of the night by deflecting a blue line shot from Jamie Reeve with just 16 seconds left on the major power play.

The Panthers cashed in on another power play with just 14 seconds left in the first period, when Grant Molski put in a rebound off a shot by Spees, making it 2-0 going into the first intermission.

Hudson got on the board early in the second period when Harrison Ross won a face off in the SPASH zone. Ross drew the puck back to Mike Mauer whose quick wrist shot beat Spurlin on the short side.

The Panthers scored the next three goals to build a 5-1 lead with two more from Spees and one from Jackson Schroeder, and seemed to be cruising. Then a checking from behind penalty handed the Raiders a five minute power play.

Hudson was able to cash in twice on their power play, with goals from Gannon Blaiser and Truman Zerse, before an interference penalty wiped out the last minute of their man advantage, as the second period ended with SPASH up 5-3.

Each team had multiple opportunities in the third period, but Spulin and Prescher stood their ground and there would be no further scoring.

The SPASH Panthers will travel to Hudson on Saturday afternoon to face the number one seeded Chippewa Falls Cardinals in the Section One final.