Panthers to Retire #10 Jersey of Riley Braun Friday Night!

Tuesday, October 15, 2022
North Saanich, British Columbia

The Peninsula Panthers will retire the #10 Jersey worn for five years by their all-time everything this Friday night in front of what is expected to be a large crowd in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre. Family, friends and fans will have one last opportunity to see Riley Braun one more time on Home Ice after he Captained and led the squad to a VIJHL Championship last season.

On Sunday afternoon the Cats headed to Campbell River to face the Storm and when the final buzzer sounded, it marked the first time in 14 games that they were handed a Regulation Time loss.  Payton Braun and Tanner Banks scored for the Panthers in the 3-2 loss, Banks' marker coming with only 20 seconds remaining and with goaltender Mason Kelly on the bench for the extra attacker.  But they could not tally once again in the waining seconds and headed out into a rainy evening after the loss.

"I thought we played hard and it was just a couple mistakes that cost us a win," explained GM Pete Zubersky. "It is not an excuse and every team gets their turn but we had six regulars out of the lineup on Sunday, four of them were defencemen.  But we had others step up and I thought the effort was there.  We will see four guys filter back in this coming Friday and hopefully the other two - Defencemen Andrew Braun and Reid Fryer - will be back in the next little while."

But as Zubersky got onto the bus and awaited his squad to do the same, his thoughts moved to this coming Friday's affair when the Panthers will welcome in the visiting Kerry Park Islanders.  Before the game, the Club will hold a 15-minute ceremony when they will retire Braun's #10.

"Riley played some games with the Panthers as a 15-year-old and they made the team the following year," quipped Zubersky.  "He broke every important and imaginable record during his five full seasons with the Club and he was our heart and soul last season when we finally got to the top of the mountain with a Game 6 win over the Oceanside Generals last April 1 right here in our own barn.  I will never forget what he has done for this Organization and hopefully Friday's jersey retirement will not allow anyone else to forget.  No doubt about it, he is the most impactful player to ever wear a Peninsula Panthers jersey and Friday should be a lot of fun."

Fans are asked to be in your seat early as the ceremony will start right at 7:30 pm.  A large crowd is fully expected.