A pair of former Panther owners are off the bench and back in the game after purchasing the rights to the local junior-B hockey club, which was being run by the league.

John Wilson and Pete Zubersky purchased the Peninsula Panthers junior B team after weekend meetings with the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.

B次元官网网址淲e really enjoyed our time when we did it,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky who owned the team for eight years, until about five years ago. Wilson took over the club for two years after that. Jackson Penney took ownership about two and half years ago and relinquished it to the league last month.

Wilson learned of the teamB次元官网网址檚 availability and after a call to Zubersky B次元官网网址� and conversations with their wives, Coreen Zubersky and Val Wilson B次元官网网址� the two families made a powerplay for ownership.

B次元官网网址淲hat you see in the on-ice product is a culmination of a lot of off-ice work by volunteers and people putting together a business plan,B次元官网网址� Wilson said of the full family commitment involved. The new owners met with players Monday night to break the news.

The Panthers saw success on the ice the past two years, earning league titles, provincial titles and finishing fourth at nationals last year.

Zubersky and Wilson will focus on rebuilding local relationships with the community, local businesses and Peninsula Minor Hockey.

B次元官网网址淭hose are the people we need to develop relationships with because without those, weB次元官网网址檙e toast,B次元官网网址� said Zubersky. B次元官网网址淢inor hockey is our bread and butter and we want to build those ties again.B次元官网网址�

Parents, players and coaches wear the logos of both the minor hockey Eagles and the Panthers with pride, said minor hockey president Steve Pearce.

B次元官网网址淧layers coming out (to play) is very important. ItB次元官网网址檚 important to development for the kids. With hockey skills and social skills required for life. Hockey is really secondary for 99 per cent of these kids,B次元官网网址� Pearce said.

The old owners will resurrect old prices on Friday night (Dec. 9). All tickets for the Panthers game are $5 with a donation to the Sidney Lions Food Bank.

The team will face Comox at 7:30 p.m. at Panorama Recreation Centre.

Saturday night they host arch rivals Victoria Cougars at 7:30 p.m. Parksville is in town Dec. 16 and the Panthers make the trip to Oceanside Place Dec. 17 before breaking for the Christmas holiday.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 going to give us some time to take a breath,B次元官网网址� Zubersky said.

sports@vicnews.com