Panthers players selected for upcoming All-Star and Prospects Games

The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League will be hosting their All-Star game in Campbell River on Sunday, January 20th and Prospects game in Saanich on Sunday January 27th.  Panthers' forward Josh Lingard and defenceman and team Captain Thomas Spink were named to the All-Star squad, while Lingard and Riley Braun were named to the Prospects roster consisting of players 16-18 years old.

Lingard is enjoying a wonderful season having scored 19 goals to this point while adding 17 assists.  The offensive forward has recently moved to the point on the Panthers' power play and the added wrinkle seems to have sparked the unit.  He wears an "A" for the Club.

Spink continues to be the leader on the "Cats".  The solid rearguard can play any type of game as he is loaded with on-ice vision and offensive skills as well as a physical element in the defensive end.

Seventeen-year-old Braun is the youngest of the trio and the right winger has garnered 31 points to date.  He is usually the first player on the ice and the last to leave, gives a great and consistent effort, and is counted on in all situations that arise in any given game.  Braun is an Alternate Captain on the Panthers.

The players for these two games were selected through a voting process by VIJHL coaches.  The North Division consisting of Campbell River, Comox, Oceanside and Nanaimo will take on the South Division team made up of players from Kerry Park, Westshore, Victoria, Saanich and Peninsula in both games.

The Panthers will travel to Westshore on Wednesday evening to take on the Wolves and will be back in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre on Friday night when they play host to the visiting Victoria Cougars.  The puck hits the ice shortly after 7:30 pm.