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

Panthers drop out of first after pair of weekend losses

North Saanich, BC – If anyone out there has access to a time machine, the Peninsula Panthers would like to speak with you. 

After amassing the best overall record in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) with a 26-2-2 record prior to the Christmas break, the Panthers are just 2-6-0-1 since the new year started and have now lost three in a row, the most recent being a 7-3 decision to the Kerry Park Islanders last Friday night and a 1-0 decision to the Port Alberni Bombers, last Saturday. 

Those two losses, combined with another Kerry Park win – a 5-2 decision over Oceanside on Saturday – have dropped the Panthers into second place in the South division, three points behind the Islanders and now just five points ahead of third place Westshore. 

That marks the first time the Panthers have been out of first since late September, a time they wish they could go back to very soon to find the mojo they had then, or the mojo they had in October through early December, when they rattled off 14 wins in a row.

It has been hard to pinpoint exactly why the Panthers have been in a January slump.  They are still playing well defensively, leading the league in fewest goals allowed and offensively, they are healthy and outshooting teams on regular basis.  The only change in the new year was the addition of forward Oskar Aitken-Salmons, but he has been playing well with three goals and four assists in the nine games, so that should not be having an impact.

One thing that has changed though is that the “puck luck” and favourable bounces the Panthers took advantage of back in the fall seem to have disappeared and that every opposing goalie is suddenly playing their best game ever against the Panthers.  

That was certainly evident on Saturday night when the Panthers outshot Port Alberni 45-28, but Bombers league-leading goaltender Evan Grant stopped them all to come away with his first shut-out of the season. Similarly in the 1-0 loss to Saanich on January 17th, Saanich goalie William Rose, playing his first ever game in the VIJHL, stopped all 32 shots he faced and relied on his goalposts to stop three others, to get the win. 

“We are putting up the shots, but pucks are not going in,” said Panthers Head Coach Tyler Stanton. “It is Important for the players to stay resilient and continue their good habits. We have a wealth of talent on this team and I know that if they just relax and play their game, we will be just fine.”

The Panthers will look to turn their luck around on Friday night, when they host the Nanaimo Buccaneers at Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich.  They then travel to Esquimalt on Saturday for a key division match-up against the Victoria Cougars.  

Friday’s game begins at Panorama at 7:30 PM and it is Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation Night (plus Parent’s Night).  Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (ages 60+), $9 for youth (ages 13-18), and $2 for kids 12 and under. Also, for every kid’s ticket sold in the regular season, the Murphy Family Foundation will donate $1.00US to the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association.

Photo Caption:  Peninsula Panthers defenceman Joe Marranzino (43) looks for the puck during a VIJHL game against the Kerry Park Islanders last Friday night at Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich.  The Panthers would fall to the Islanders by a score of 7-3  (Photo: Sophie Hayward).