The official team site of the Peninsula Panthers, proud members of the VIJHL, an independent junior hockey league associated with the BCHL

Panthers grab win on Parent’s Night

Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart

February 3, 2025

North Saanich, BC – When you are competing for something important and you are doing so on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, sometimes, much like the popular reality show “Survivor,” you just need a visit from family to provide some motivation and get you through to the finish.

The Peninsula Panthers got just that last Friday at Panorama Recreation Centre, when, on Parent’s Night, in front of over 40 family members from all over North America, the Panthers rallied for a 4-1 win over the Nanaimo Buccaneers in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League action, snapping a three-game losing skid and ending January on a positive note.

The Panthers have heavily recruited players from across North America this season and family members flew in from various locations, including among others, Texas, Colorado, North Dakota, California and Ontario, to spend the weekend with their boys.

“It was so nice to see that almost all parents were able to come in for the weekend,” said Peninsula Panthers Minority Owner and Director of Business Operations Madelyn Murphy-Homer. “The boys certainly appreciated it and for many parents, it was their first visit of the season and they enjoyed seeing the boys play in person for the first time.”

Parents were treated to a pre-game ceremony on Friday night and then enjoyed a team brunch Saturday morning before heading to Esquimalt to watch the Panthers take on the Victoria Cougars Saturday night.  Unfortunately, the good luck of Friday did not carry over and the Panthers dropped an 8-3 decision to the Cougars, but most parents still enjoyed the evening and were happy just to see their boys compete.

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to be able to watch your son play the game they love in person,” said Brittany Grinaker, mother of Panther’s goaltender Merik Grinaker, who flew in from Fargo, North Dakota for the weekend. “No matter how old they get, or how far they go, there is nothing quite like being at the game in person.”

“It was also very special to be able to connect with other parents whose sons you’ve heard so much about, as well as put faces with names within this special Panthers organization,” she added, “including our amazing play-by-play and colour guys, as well as the photographers, who make us feel like we can still take part from thousands of miles away.  The Panthers hosted a wonderful weekend for us and have done an incredible job of creating a family culture within the entire program.”

The Panthers will now gear up for a three-game week, first traveling to Oceanside on Wednesday night for their last game of the season against the Generals.  They then come home to Panorama Friday for another big tilt against the first place Kerry Park Islanders and then hit the road again Saturday for a battle against the Port Alberni Bombers, who are holding down second place in the North.

The battle for playoff positioning in the South is no doubt going to go right to the end of the season.  As of today, the Panthers sit in second, five points behind Kerry Park and seven points up on third place Westshore.  If the season ended today, the Panthers would host Westshore in the first round of the playoffs and Kerry Park would host Victoria.  However, anything can happen between now and then and the final playoff seeding remains to be seen.

Game time on Friday, February 7th against Kerry Park is 7:30pm.  Regular Adult Admission is $12, $9 for youth (ages 13-18), and $2 for kids 12 and under, however any child wearing a Peninsula Minor Hockey Jersey will get in free. Also, for every kid’s ticket sold, the Murphy Family Foundation will donate $1.00US to the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association.

Peninsula Panther goaltender Merik Grinaker (33) poses prior to the game with his mom Brittany, who flew in from Fargo, North Dakota to watch her son play on Family Night last Friday at Panorama Recreation Centre.  Grinaker made his mom happy by getting the win in the Panthers 4-1 decision over the Nanaimo Buccaneers (Photo: Christian J. Stewart).