Panthers season comes to an end with loss Monday night

Monday, March 4, 2024
Panorama Recreation Centre
North Saanich, British Columbia

The final buzzer rang out loud on Monday night in the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre at the end of a hard-fought Game 4 loss against the visiting Victoria Cougars.  And with the sting of the 4-1 loss came the reality that the Club had been bounced from the 2023/24 playoffs which ended their season.

The Panthers had dropped the previous three games in the Best-of-7 series and were not competitive going into Game 4 however they showed their true character when the chips were down and thouroughly outplayed the Cougars over 60 minutes.  Down 2-1 with four minutes left, the visitors drew a minor penalty and Head Coach/GM Tyler Stanton yanked his starter Silas Currie in favour of an extra attacker.  But the Cougars won the draw and sent the disk 200 feet to the heart of the Panthers cage and for all intents and purposes, the game was in the books. The locals pulled Currie once again but in the waning seconds of the game, the Cougars hit another empty net and were happy to escape with the win and end the series.  Twenty-year-old Tanner Truswell, who was playing in his final Junior game, scored the lone marker for the Panthers.  Five other 20's including Reid Fryer, Robson Scott, Julien Phillips, Kyle Erickson and Gaetz Barrie were also in the same situation as Truswell and all six have now completed their Junior eligibility.

"I was proud how hard our guys played with their backs against the wall in an elimination game," stated Pete Zubersky.  "I thought the boys gave everything they had, they left it all on the ice tonight. If we could have found that effort earlier in the series, I think we would still be playing hockey games.  But I also tip my hat to the Victoria Cougars and to their Head Coach Chris Lynn.  We played the Cougars a number of times this season and the games were really tight for the most part. They stepped it up when it mattered most and that is why they are moving forward in Round 2 against the Saanich Predators.  Our Organization wishes both Clubs great health and good luck."

The Zubersky's plan to let the results of the season sink in a bit and plan to put out an 'Open Letter' on April 4th to the Community on the Peninsula.  

"We have had such great support this season and since we purchased the Panthers back in the summer of 1999," said Zubersky. "Coreen and I have enjoyed every minute, ownership of the Panthers has been a passion of ours.  We will have a lot to say about this on April 4."

The Club will have one final informatl skate on Friday night and will hand out the 'Playoff Performer' award as well as present the six 20's their game jersey.  And then it will be time to focus on their annual spring camp which will be held on April 26-28 when they will begin to reload for the 2024/25 Vancouver Island Junior Hocley League season.