Panthers hold 2022/23 Awards Dinner Sunday night

Sunday, February 26, 2023
Mary Winspear Centre
Sidney, British Columbia

Exactly 100 players, fans and friends of the Peninsula Panthers Junior Hockey Club flowed into the Mary Winspear Centre Sunday night around 5:30 pm and three hours later they left, many still smiling from the evening's events.  GM Pete Zubersky and Assistant Coaches Len Dawes and Kai Turner passed out various awards after an absolutely spectacular dinner provided by Chef Graham Little and staff of Island Culinary Service.

The volunteers were singled out for their outstanding work with the Club over the past year and that announcment was met with warm applause.  The evening opened with gifts to billet Moms Tanya Fletcher and Sue Phillips from the Kelly twins Brady and Mason and to Jacquie Dawes who is a mainstay at the front ticket table with Coreen Zubersky every Friday night.  GM Pete Zubersky's opening remarks discussed the Zubersky's over two decades in Junior Hockey with the Panthers and some of the accomplishments that Coreen and he felt were significant and personal to them.  The evening ended with Zubersky discussing the impending playoffs and shortly thereafter the dinner-goers filtered out of the Mary Winspear into the night.

In between the opening and closing addresses is what everyone came for and the following are the Awards which were presented:

MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS
Bradley Bates - 1st Junior Goal
Brady Kelly - 1st Junior Shutout
Evan Mayer - 1st Junior Goal
Robson Scott - 1st Junior Goal
Cameron Sneek - 1st Junior Goal

INDIVIDUAL TEAM AWARDS
Volunteer of the Year - Len & Jacquie Dawes
Community Leadership - Mason Kelly 
Scholastic Achievement - Theodore St-Denis & Cameron Sneek
Top Scorer - Ryan Grambart
Fan Favourite - Reid Fryer
Most Sportsmanlike Player - Tanner Banks & Payton Braun
Most Improved Player - Robson Scott
Grant Gilbertson Memorial - Friendship Award - Brady Kelly
Steve Simpson Memorial - Character, Courage & Heart - Julien Phillips
Rookie of the Year - Luka Jansen van Rensburg
Best Defenceman - Evan Crawford
Unsung Hero - Ethan Lingard
Most Valuable Player - Matt Seale and Ryan Grambart
Top Playoff Performer - To Be Determined

The Panthers will open Wednesday evening in Saanich against the Predators and will play Game 2 at the venue - George Pearkes Arena - on Friday night.  Games 3 and 4 will be back in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre Saturday and Monday evenings with the puck set to drop at 7:30 pm.  Large crowds are expected so please arrive a bit early.  

Below is the Round 1 Playoffs Schedule:

Game 1 – PEN @ SAA Wednesday, March 1 at 7:30 pm
Game 2 – PEN @ SAA Friday, March 3 at 6:30 pm 
Game 3 SAA @ PEN Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 pm
Game 4 SAA @ PEN Monday, March 6 at 7:30 pm
Game 5 PEN @ SAA Wednesday, March 8 at 7:30 pm (if necessary)
Game 6 SAA @ PEN Friday, March 10 at 7:30 pm (if necessary)
Game 7 PEN @ Saanich Sunday, March 12 at 6:00 pm  (if necessary)