New Year's on everyone's calendar can bring hope and meaning given it typically acts as a "fresh start."
This is the case for the Port Moody Panthers as the junior 'B' franchise has been struggling in the 2021-22 campaign after being plagued with injuries and several one- or two-goal contests.
But now, the team is almost back to 100 per cent and trying to get back to a winning rhythm.
The Panthers are looking to the latter half of the season, beginning with the return of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) Winter Classic Dec. 30, 2021, to Jan. 2, 2022.
"With minor hockey tournaments, the World Junior tournament, Spengler Cup, and numerous NHL games all happening while many people are off work and school for the holidays, there's a huge interest in hockey at this time of year, and locally, the Winter Classic has become part of that," explained Port Moody general manager Brian Wiebe in an interview with the Tri-City News.
"We have a lot of young players on our roster with outstanding potential. We are really excited about their impact this season and beyond as they continue to learn and improve."
The Panthers will play two games during the PJHL's showcase in Richmond — it'll officially be the fifth annual Winter Classic as the January 2021 event was cancelled due to the then state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They'll be first on the ice for 13-game tournament in a clash with the Aldergrove Kodiaks on Dec. 30 at 1 p.m.
After a one-day break, Port Moody will return to Minoru Arena to face-off against the Chilliwack Jets on New Year's Day (Jan. 1) at 4 p.m.
While PJHL games can already be viewed online for coaches and scouts, Wiebe said players are looking forward to playing in front of them for the first time in nearly two years.
"Our hope is that our [Panthers] players' performance this season piques the interest of an executive, coach, or scout from the junior 'A,' Western Hockey League, or collegiate level. As a result, personnel from those levels come to the Winter Classic to confirm what they've already seen on video. It's an excellent opportunity for some players to affirm what recruiters may already know and for other players to potentially get themselves on the radar."
Now, Port Moody players are likely hoping to turn heads with their skills and not the scoreboard given the team's current state.
As of this publication (Dec. 11), the Panthers are 3-25 and last in the PJHL's Tom Shaw Conference. Their last win was a 6-0 shutout over Surrey on Nov. 24, which ended an eight-game losing skid.
Since then, they've lost four in a row and Wiebe understands there are still lots of tweaks that need to be made before the season's end on Feb. 12, 2022.
"Overall, we need to pay attention to small details in the game that when overlooked have led to costly errors," he said.
"We also need to focus on playing three consistent periods every game because when we've done that this season, it's led to success."
The Panthers are embarking on a two-game inter-conference road trip this weekend, starting in White Rock against the Whalers at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
Port Moody will be in North Vancouver tomorrow (Dec. 12) to take on the PJHL top-seeded Wolf Pack at 7 p.m.
The team's final home game of 2021 is scheduled for next Saturday (Dec. 18), 7:45 p.m. against the Richmond Sockeyes.
