#5, Alternate Captain Braeden Hansen is the longest serving member of the Peninsula Panthers and will suit up for his 107th game for the Club on Friday night (Photo by Gordon Lee)
The Peninsula Panthers are looking forward to facing two South Division foes this coming weekend. First up will be the visiting Saanich Braves on Friday evening at the Panorama Recreation Centre.
The Peninsula Panthers have fought and scratched for everything they have received after opening the season with their first seven games on the road. After hosting the Saanich Braves on Friday night and then travelling to Kerry Park on Saturday night to face off against the Islanders, the "Cats" from the Peninsula will have completed 17 games, just one game over the 1/3 mark in their Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League Schedule. Eleven of the 17 will have been played away from the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre.
"We obviously have some advantage in that we have played a lot more games on the road than at home," quipped Pete Zubersky. "But after saying that, it is only an advantage if you win your games at home. The game Friday night against the Braves will be a big one. We are a single point behind them in the standings and have played two less games. And the same goes for Saturday up in Kerry Park. The Islanders are also just a point ahead of us and we have played one less game. This weekend will really give our group an opportunity to reset the season."
Joe Stafford-Veale is still out of the lineup and has not yet practiced with the squad. He is probably two or three weeks away from seeing game action. Jack Taylor returned to Victoria Tuesday afternon from a three-week family vacation in Thailand and practiced with the squad on Thursday. He is expected to play in the pair of weekend encounters.
Ty Hermsen and Jack McMillan will be forced to the sidelines on Friday night for the game against the Braves. McMillan and Hermsen were both tossed from the 4-2 win in Comox last Saturday night with only 7:43 left in the game. They both received a one-game suspension which will be served on Friday.
In other news, Panthers defenceman Braeden Hansen will play in his 107th VIJHL game on Friday while Hermsen will suit up for his 100th VIJHL game on Saturday nght in Mill Bay. The two are the longest serving members of the Peninsula Panthers and both played their minor hockey on the Peninsula.
The puck drops at 7:30 pm on Friday and a solid crowd is expected.
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