Voting starts March 21
http://www.khv2015.ca/en/nominations/finalists/
Imagine, if you could, Vancouver Island’s National Hockey Leaguers Jamie and Jordie Benn and the Dallas Stars taking on the Vancouver Canucks at Panorama Recreation Centre. Pete Zubersky doesn’t just dream it, he believes it can truly happen. Now, the Peninsula Panthers’ governor and Jason Fletcher — a volunteer and coach with Peninsula Minor Hockey — want your help to make it become a reality. Announced as one of 10 finalists in Sportsnet’s Kraft Hockeyville 2015 promotion during Saturday evening’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, the real work is about to begin for the Peninsula pair, and the entire North Saanich community, as the push to attract voters to earn the grand prize is set to open online on Saturday night. What’s at stake for the top vote-getting association is $100,000 toward facility improvements and the chance to host an NHL preseason game. Second place also earns $100,000 and the remaining eight finalists take home $25,000 no matter the finish. Kraft Hockeyville is an annual contest open to small-town associations looking to better facilities for their community. It has run since 2006 with Sylvan Lake, Alta. (home to the famous NHL Sutter brothers hockey school), last year’s winner. Fletcher, who filed the local entry, and Zubersky want the Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich to be among the two finalists to be named March 28. Ultimately, they want to become No. 1 through a second vote with the champion to be named April 4 on Hockey Night in Canada. “Would that be unreal?” Zubersky said of the possibility of a Stars-Canucks game, featuring the Benn boys against the Sedin twins. “Two kids that played on the Peninsula, one is the captain of the Stars, playing against the Canucks? “I said to my wife, as a hockey player or a pro I’ve probably seen it all if I’m Jamie Benn, right? But going back and playing in my old dressing room in the rink where I dressed in as a 16-year-old kid [for the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s Panthers] — that would be cool. I’m sure all his Stars’ teammates would say, ‘Wow, you played here?’ “There’s no doubt that the NHL would bring the Dallas Stars, just because of the tie-in and the fact the owner of the Stars is from Kamloops. It seems like a no-brainer.” Or they could bring in another Peninsula product, Matt Irwin, and the San Jose Sharks. News broke out late Saturday that Peninsula was among the final 10 (five from the east and five from the west), plucked from 1,100 nominations. In fact, North Saanich was the first name called out as the final 10 were listed from west to east. The other nine finalists are Dawson Creek; Bonnyville and Morinville, Alta.; Morden, Man.; Chatham-Kent and Haliburton, Ont.; Saint-Joseph de Beauce, Que.; Middleton, N.S.; and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nfld. Zubersky and Fletcher immediately called a meeting Sunday to rally the troops where a good segment of the region was represented through the local minor hockey association, community members, the CRD and the rec centre itself. “Everyone is on board,” said Zubersky, who said a letter was going out Monday from the chairman of the recreation commission, which represents North Saanich, Central Saanich and Sidney (which comprise Panorama) to the three mayors to jump on board. The group would like similar support from the remaining Greater Victoria councils to attract the votes and, of course, the public itself. “You need north of a million votes to get to the next [final] stage,” said Zuberksy. “It really depends who you’re up against,” said Fletcher, who sent the nomination in at the Febuary deadline. “We took the community-minded thought that we want to enhance the building for the use of everyone — hockey, figure skating, speedskating, lacrosse and on behalf of all the volunteers,” he added of the facility that requires upgrading. “Right now, we’re squirreling things underneath the stands.” Office space and meeting rooms could be added and possibly a dressing room for the VIJHL’s Panthers. Little did they know it would get this far. “When it came on [TV] Saturday, I just happened to be watching and when they said North Saanich, I thought, ‘Holy cow, we made it.’ ” said Zubersky.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/north-saanich-s-panorama-rec-centre-finalist-for-hockeyville-title-1.1794588#sthash.gYTycHwb.dpuf
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