He is in the right situation at the right time and Marcus Pantazis is certainly making the most of it.
The recently turned 18-year-old is the top rookie scorer in the Pacific Junior Hockey League and is one of the keys to the Richmond Sockeyes remaining a championship contender despite losing nearly their entire roster to graduation.
Pantazis has been scoring big goals all season and he was at it again on Saturday in White Rock, wiring home his 12th of the campaign in the late going for a 2-1 win over the Whalers.
“I think I have a good touch in front of the net and good hands too. It’s something I take pride in,” said the 6-foot-1 and 172-pounder. “The season has started off great. My success is good but it’s even better we are winning.”
The Vancouver Thunderbirds product enjoyed an excellent 2017-18 campaign in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League with the Greater Vancouver Canadians — leading the team in scoring with the 20 goals.
That was enough to get him a long look in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Camrose Kodiaks.
Pantazis made it through the early round of cuts in training camp and dressed in a couple of pre-season games, scoring each time. Yet he was still left on the outside looking in when the roster was finalized.
“”It was a great experience and I think I did a good job preparing myself for it,” he continued. “The comments were I needed to improve on my overall strength and I agree with that. It was a tough situation because they had guys coming back down from the WHL too. It was a little unfair but that’s the way it goes in hockey.”
Pantazis returned home and soon after joined the Sockeyes where a prime opportunity was waiting for him. Blueliner Jacob Keremidschieff was the only player among Richmond’s top 14 scorers back with the club this season. Pantazis wasn’t going to be buried behind veterans having to prove he deserved quality playing time.
“There was immediate ice time there. I would have been fine working for it too but it was given to me so you take it and put your work ethic into it,” he said. “My role here fits my game perfectly being a goal scorer. Just being on the power play and having the puck. That’s what I do best.”
He is now affiliated with the Coquitlam Express and could start practising with the B.C. Junior Hockey League club as soon as this month. Sockeyes coach Brett Reusch wouldn’t be surprised to see one of his top recruits make the jump next season.
“He has got a gift. He is a pure goal scorer and there are not many that sees the ice the way he does,” he said. “He is opportunistic and it just comes naturally to him.”
His winning goal Saturday was his first in three games against the expansion Whalers who happen to be guided by his former Midget AAA coach Jason Rogers.
“Their coach knows how to play me and they have had my number a bit,” smiled Pantazis. “I’m just glad I could adjust and break the curse. It took a while but I will take it.”
The Sockeyes host the Surrey Knights tonight before travelling to Abbotsford on Friday to take on the Pilots.
