Panthers bring on new game day photographer

October 24, 2021
North Saanich, British Columbia

Peninsula Panther General Manager Pete Zubersky is pleased to announce that effective immediately, Christian J. Stewart will be joining the team as game day photographer. Christian replaces long-time Panther photographer Gordon Lee, who passed away suddenly in his home on October 16th.
 
While Lee's shoes and his 22 years of photographing Panthers hockey will be hard to replace, the Panthers feel that they have found the right person for the task. 
 
A long time and well known sports photographer in Victoria, Christian has extensive hockey experience at all levels of the game, having photographed teams like the Victoria Royals, Victoria Grizzlies, Victoria Salmon Kings, UVic Vikes, South Island Thunderbirds, Saanich Minor and other minor hockey associations, as well as many teams in the VIJHL.
 
He was the official photographer for the Saanich Braves (now Predators) from 2009-2015 and photographed the VIJHL All-Star games in both 2013 and 2015.  In 2019 Christian also photographed the World Junior Hockey Championships in Victoria and Vancouver for All Over Press Finland and follwed the Finns all the way to their champiopnship Victory at Rogers Centre in Vancouver.
 
Christian is also the official photographer for the Victoria HarbourCats (WCL) and Victoria Golden Tide (CCBC), as well as the Victoria Eagles and the BC Premier Baseball League and spends much of his summers prowling various baseball diamonds around the city and province.
 
Christian was in attendance last Friday night when the Panthers hosted the Campbell River Storm and will be at most remaining home games for the 2021-2022 season.

Panthers General Manager Pete Zubersky made no bones about it that he was excited to add an experienced photographer to the Panthers Organization at the level Stewart has attained. 

"Christian is a fellow I have known for a long time but I honestly thought there was no way we could lure him out here to the Peninsula.  I spoke with Jason King who has set up and runs the equipment for the large screen at the North end of the arena and he thought it was worth giving Christian a call.  Jason and our music guy Dave Marshall work with Christian with the Harbourcats Baseball Team and I think those relationships really helped decide to join us.  He took a lot of shots in our game Friday night against Campbell River and I was blown away.  He knows what he is doing, there is no doubt about that.  I suppose that since we have the 'Harbourcats North' out here on the Peninsula that I should call their General Manager Jim Swanson and see what synergies the two Clubs might have in working together.  I cannot explain how fortunate we are to have Christian on board."
 
Watch for his photos on our web site and on his own website where they will be available for viewing and purchase at https://christianjstewart.zenfolio.com/panthers

On the ice the 'Cats' downed the Saanich Predators 7-4 win on a gloomy and rainy Sunday afternoon in Saanich on the strength of a three-goal performance by Riley Braun, and singles off the sticks of Aleko Sdrakas, Tanner Banks, Payton Braun and Owen Cox.  Ashton Lukan collected the win between the pipes after coming in midway through the game in relief of starter Rogan Bacon.  Logan Speirs had a couple of assists and extended his point streak to 19 games and now has a point in every game the Club has played this season.

The Panthers will be at home in the confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre next Friday night to face the suddenly hot Port Alberni Bombers with the puck set to drop at 7:30 pm.  All restrictions on crowd side will have been eliminated as of Monday morning.