February 19, 2021
North Saanich, British Columbia
Significant point marks fell at the hands of Riley Braun and Logan Speirs Friday night in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre. The setting was the same location the two began their hockey journey as little boys in the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association and then spending the past five season plying their trade with the Peninsula Panthers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.
Speirs broke through the century mark in point totals in the Panthers 5-3 win on Friday night notching a goal and three assists to run his season point total to a whopping 103. In a normal season that number would have crushed every other top scorer in the League, but this season was not normal by any means. Speirs played the middle book-ended by brothers Riley and Payton Braun. Payton playing in his inaugural season on the Panthers and in Junior Hockey notched 84 points and has put himself as the odds-on favourite to capture the League Rookie of the Year. Riley finished Friday night with 120 points after a four-point evening and in the process, he broke Cougars Head Coach Brody Coulter's modern day single season scoring record of 118. The line has put up a mind-blowing 307 points between them with still one game to go in the Regular Season.
Congratulations began to pour in shortly after the game was in the books and perhaps one of the most meaningful came from Coulter the next morning. The morning after, record books were being adjusted.
"Hey Pete, please congratulate Riley for me. I know he's a team-oriented kid but he's been through a lot this year, especially as a Captain. I'm glad he was the one to break it, well deserved."
And Neil Edwards, parent of Goaltender Ben Edwards of the Westshore Wolves, the Club that the Panthers will go head-to head with in the Best-of-7 1st round series starting on Tuesday night at the Panorama, passed along this congratulatory note.
"Hi Pete, I don’t believe you know me but I wanted to say a massive congratulations to Riley, what an achievement. Yes he broke the record, but your top line is amazing, they are a joy to watch. Even though my son Ben plays for Wolves, sometimes you just have to applaud the opposition. Good luck in the playoffs. Regards, Neil Edwards".
General Manager Pete Zubersky shared a few thoughts on the evening and the 2021/22 season:
"Braun, Speirs and Braun might just be the best line we have seen come through the VIJHL, end of statement. Riley was banged up for the first two games of the season and when he returned the magic started immediately. Coach Brad Tippett put Payton on the left side with Logan and Riley and it clicked right off the bat and that was exciting to see. I cannot count how many times this season I was left speechless after a beautiful passing play between the three ended up in the back of the net. Logan got his 100th point early in the game against Kerry Park on a Riley goal and of course Payton added another assist. It got Logan to 100 and put that one to bed. And then all night long our guys were looking for the puck to go through #10 so he could reach his total in the game. It was a really special game, a really special moment. I told all three of them on the bench that I would never forget the year that they have had as individuals, as a line and as members on the Club. They are all such great people and that is truly what makes this so, so special. Every player on our roster has a lot to do with the success these three have achieved. And that includes Grant Gilbertson who we will never forget. He put a lot of pucks onto sticks of these three guys, especially while on the power play and he also put pucks in the net when they put the disk onto his stick. It was just a real special time around the Club throughout the game."
The Panthers are now looking forward to the next special moment and that will take place this coming Monday at 2:00 pm when they welcome in the visiting Saanich Predators. The Panthers will wear a 3rd Jersey made for this game and will gift 25 jerseys to PMHA players and 5 jerseys to fans in attendance in an on-ice draw once the game is completed. Winners MUST be in attendance at the time of the draw to collect the jersey, no exceptions.
And then on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm everyone will start with a clean slate as the Cats welcome in the Westshore Wolves for Round 1, Game 1 of their Best-of-7 playoff series. The series schedule is as follows:
GM 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 22 @ 7:30 pm at Panorama
GM 2 - Wednesday, Feb. 23 @ 7:00 pm at Q-Centre
GM 3 - Friday, Feb. 25 @ 7:30 pm at Panorama
GM 4 - Sunday, Feb. 27 @ 5:30 pm at Q-Centre
GM 5 - Monday Feb. 28 @t 7:30 pm at Panorama
GM 6 - Wednesday, March 2 @ 7:00 pm at Q-Centre
GM 7 - Friday, March 4 @ 7:30 pm at Panorama
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