Panthers release 2018/19 Schedule - odds and ends

As Head Coach Brad Tippett and his staff prepare to open their development camp on Tuesday, there appears to be more than the usual amount of excitement around the Club for this time of year.  The Peninsula Panthers have made several signings this summer as Tippett retools his squad from last season.

"We ran into a buzz saw in Campbell River in the 1st round of the playoffs and were knocked off in five hard games," explained Pete Zubersky.  "Campbell River swept through the league and went to the BC Championship, but our guys really got a feel for what it is going to take.  We are a bit older with over half of our Club returning and I expect that they will lead the young guys that we will filter in."

The Panthers open their exhibition season at home on Friday, August 24th when they will play an all-rookie game against the Kerry Park Islanders.  "A lot of guys from the development camp will roll into that first game to give them a little taste of Junior action.  Many of these guys are young and we would like to affiliate them to our Club for the season and look for them to push for spots on the roster next year," quipped Zubersky.

The Panthers will travel to Mill Bay the following evening and the lineup will see many of the players who will fill out their roster this season.  The following Thursday on August 30th the Club will venture to the Archie Browning Arena to take on the Victoria Cougars and will then welcome them back into the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre the following night, Friday August 31st in a game which will be their final tune-up for the Regular Season.  Both exhibition affairs will take place at 7:30 pm and all tickets for both games will be $5.00

Tippett and his troops will open the Regular Season on the road on Wednesday, September 5th when they travel to the Q-Centre in Colwood where they hope to take some of the howl out of the Westshore Wolves.  The same two Clubs will hit the ice on Friday, September 7th on the Peninsula for the 'Cats' home opener.

The Panthers will play a 48-game Regular Season, 24 at home and 24 on the road.  Twenty-three of the 24 home games will be on Friday nights starting with the opener on September 7th with the final home game set for Friday, February 22nd.  All Friday games will commence at 7:30 pm.  The Panthers will host the Saanich Braves on Family Day, Monday February 18th at 1:00 pm.

The Club has circled the weekend of October 19th when they will play three games in three days.  The Campbell River Storm will invade the Panorama on the Friday evening in a game many fans on the Peninsula are already talking about.  The Club will then play in Comox the following night and will stay in the Comox/Campbell River area after the game before finishing off the weekend slate of games with a 4:00 pm start in Campbell River.

The Panthers will host their annual awards dinner on Saturday, February 23 at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney.  Family, friends and fans are encouraged and welcome to attend and tickets can be purchased for this event at any Panthers Regular Season game.