NORTH SAANICH — With only four games left in the regular season, the Peninsula Panthers Junior B hockey club will have a busy two weeks.
It started Monday morning when the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League advised them that they were selected as the winner of the Grant Peart Memorial Trophy. The award is given to the Most Disciplined Team as voted on by all nine teams in the league.
The Oceanside Generals and Victoria Cougars have fewer penalty minutes than the Panthers at this point in the season however, the local “Cats” were deemed to be more disciplined in spite of that fact.
“We have had a tough year in terms of wins and losses but have rebuilt the club and really believe that we should compete at or near the top of the VIJHL for the next two or three years with this group,” explained GM Pete Zubersky.
“Three years ago I felt we had the best club in the province on paper, but in the finals the lack of discipline cost us a championship.
“We decided to retool the club this season and part of the blueprint was to find kids that played for the team and a big part of discipline is playing for the crest on the front of the jersey and not the name bar on the back.
“I am pleased that the other organizations in the league saw it this way as well.”
The award will be presented to the Panthers this Friday night when they host the Nanaimo Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. at the Panorama Recreation Centre.
The Panthers will travel to Kerry Park on Saturday to face the Islanders and will play the Westshore Wolves in a home-and-home pair of games next week.
The final game of the regular season will be next Friday night when they host the Wolves and the team will wear a specially designed third jersey.
The jerseys will be gifted to Peninsula Minor Hockey Players and fans immediately after the game on Friday, Feb. 17.
On Feb. 18, the Panthers will host their annual awards dinner at the Glen Meadows Golf and Country Club with dinner served at 5:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to attend and tickets can be purchased at any of the Panthers’ home games or by contacting Coreen at 250- 652-1804.