Port Hope Panthers

{{short description|Canadian junior ice hockey team}}

{{Infobox OHA team

|team_name = Port Hope Panthrs

|league = Provincial Junior Hockey League

|conference = East

|division = Tod

|bg_color = dodgerblue

|text_color =

|logo_image = Port Hope Panthers.jpg

|founded = 2004

|history = 2004–09: Colborne Cobras
2009–present: Port Hope Panthers

|alternate =

|arena = Jack Burger Sports Complex

|city = Port Hope, Ontario

|affiliate =

|colours = White, Blue, Red
{{color box|white}} {{color box|blue}} {{color box|red}}

|head_coach = Andrew Rhynold

|general_manager = Christian Eriksson

|league_champions =

|cs_cup =

|dudley_cup =

|oha_cup =

}}

The Port Hope Panthers are a junior hockey team based in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.

History

In 1995, the Trenton Sting made the jump from the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. In their wake, they formed a feeder team that was to be known as the Brighton Buzz. The Junior C league changed its name to the Empire B Junior C Hockey League just prior to the 1995-96 season to avoid confusion with the Ottawa District Hockey Association's Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. After two seasons, in 1997 the Brighton Buzz moved and became the Colborne Blackhawks. The Blackhawks folded mid-season in 1999. The Sting's feeder team had been an utter disaster as it had only won 16 games in 140 contests over four seasons.

In 2004, Junior hockey came back to the Town of Colborne. The Empire B league expanded and formed the Colborne Cobras. Their first season was all about survival as the team finished in dead last.File:Colborne Cobras.png

The 2005-06 season saw the Cobras show some staying power with thirteen wins, despite a fifth-place finish. They made the playoffs, and in the league quarter-final the Cobras drew the Picton Pirates. The Cobras defeated the Pirates 3-games-to-2 to win the team's first ever playoff series. In the league semi-final, the Cobras were swamped by the eventual champion Napanee Raiders 4-games-to-none.

The 2006-07 season was a breakout season for the Colborne Cobras. With thirty-two wins in thirty-nine games, the Cobras finished in first place overall in the regular season.{{cite web |url=http://www.northumberlandnews.com/sports-story/3770541-colborne-cobras-clinch-first-place/ |title=Colborne Cobras clinch first place |work=Northumberland News |date=February 21, 2007 |access-date=October 12, 2017}} In the league semi-final, the Cobras drew the fourth seeded Campbellford Rebels. The Cobras dispatched the Rebels with a 4-games-to-none sweep. In the team's first ever league final, the Cobras found themselves up against the Amherstview Jets.{{cite web |title=Colborne Cobras advance to Empire finals |url=http://www.northumberlandnews.com/sports-story/3767949-colborne-cobras-advance-to-empire-finals/ |work=Northumberland News |date=March 7, 2007 |access-date=October 12, 2017}} After a long and hard-fought battle, the Jets had enough fuel left to win game 7 and the series 4-games-to-3.

On May 28, 2009, it was announced the Colborne Cobras would move to Port Hope to fill the void left by the OJHL's Port Hope Predators moving to Trenton and became the Port Hope Panthers.{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Gard |title=Panthers in Port Hope again |url=http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1587176 |work=Northumberland Today |date=May 28, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2017}}{{cite web |first=Ernst |last=Kuglin |title=OJHL expected to approve Preds move to Trenton |url=http://www.trentonian.ca/2009/03/20/ojhl-expected-to-approve-preds-move-to-trenton |work=Trenton Trentonian |date=March 23, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2017}}

The Panthers were the league champions for the 2014/15 season and came up short against the Essex 73's during the Clarence Schmalz finals. In 2015/16 they repeated as the league champion and repeated their run to the CSC finals only to have Ayr Centennials claim the title. This made the Panthers the final Empire B Junior C champions. On 2016/17 the league became members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League. In the first season of the PJHL the Panthers were the Tod Division Champions and made a playoff run the league finals. The finals was a rematch with Ayr Centennials who defended their CSC title.

Season-by-season results

class="wikitable"
align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"

|Season

GPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeff"

|colspan="11"|Colborne Cobras

align="center"

|2004-05

343272274167106th of 6 EBJCHL5th of 6 in Qualifier (2-8)
align="center"

|2005-06

34132100120156265th of 6 EBJCHLWon quarter-final, 3-2 (Pirates)
Lost semi-final, 0-4 (Raiders)
align="center"

|2006-07

3932610201117651st of 6 EBJCHLWon semi-final, 4-2 (Raiders)
Lost final, 3-4 (Jets)
align="center"

|2007-08

401621 |
|3165222354th of 6 EBJCHLLost semi-final, 0-4 (Jets)
align="center"

|2008-09

40926 |
|5128224236th of 6 EBJCHLDNQ
align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeff"

|colspan="11"|Port Hope Panthers

align="center"

|2009-10

402411 |
|5199134533rd of 6 EBJCHLWon semi-final, 4-0 (Jets)
Lost final, 1-4 (Raiders)
align="center"

|2010-11

401718 |
|5137161395th of 5 EBJCHLWon quarter-final, 3-2 (Rebels)
Lost semi-final, 0-4 (Raiders)
align="center"

|2011-12

401219 |
|9129168335th of 5 EBJCHLWon quarter-final, 3-2 (Raiders)
Lost semi-final, 0-4 (Pirates)
align="center"

|2012-13

402514 |
|1184154512nd of 6 EBJCHLWon semi-final, 4-1 (Rebels)
Lost final, 1-4 (Pirates)
align="center"

|2013-14

402015 |
|5145130453rd of 6 EBJCHLLost semi-final, 0-4 (Jets)
align="center"

|2014-15

403181 |
|21093631st of 6 EBJCHLWon semi-final, 4-1 (Pirates)
Won final, 4-0 (Raiders)
Won CSC QF, 4-2 (Eagles)
Won CSC SF, 4-0 (Hornets)
Lost CSC Final, 3-4 (73's)
align="center"

|2015-16

403451 |
|22372691st of 6 EBJCHLWon semi-final, 4-0 (Islanders)
Won final, 4-0 (Raiders)
Won CSC QF, 4-1 (Mojacks)
Won CSC SF, 4-2 (Hornets)
Lost CSC Final, 0-4 (Centennials)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2016-17

393531 |
|22774711st of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Won Div. SF, 4-0 (Pirates)
Won Div. Final, 4-0 (Raiders)
Won Conf. Final, 4-2 (Chiefs)
Won CSC Semi-final 4-1 (Hornets)
Lost CSC Final, 2-4 (Centennials)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2017-18

372791 |
|24089552nd of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Won Div. SF, 4-0 (Pirates)
Won Div. Final, 4-1 (Jets)
Lost Conf. Final, 3-4 (Chiefs)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2018-19

44152612145195334th of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Lost Div. SF, 0-4 (Raiders)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2019-20

44211634170152495th of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Did not qualify
align="center" bgcolor="beige"

|2020-21

colspan="10" | Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2021-22

3014113210985334th of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Won Div. Quarters 4-1 (Rebels)
Lost Div. SF, 0-4 (Jets)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2022-23

42221730144133474th of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Won Div. Quarters 4-1 (Huskies)
Won Div. SF, 4-2 (Raiders)
Won Div Final 4-1 (Pirates)
Lost East Conf 0-4 (Eagles)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2023-24

42231441176140513rd of 6
Tod Div. PJHL
Won Div. Quarters 4-0 (Rebels)
Won Div Semifinals, 4-2 (Jets)
Lost Div. Finals, 0-4 (Raiders)
align="center" bgcolor=beige

|2024-25

42132810131211276th of 8 Tod Div
12th of 15 East Conf
47th of 63-PJHL
Lost Div. Quarters 0-4 (Jets)

Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances

:2015: Essex 73's defeated Port Hope Panthers 4-games-to-3

:2016: Ayr Centennials defeated Port Hope Panthers 4-games-to-none

:2017: Ayr Centennials defeated Port Hope Panthers 4-games-to-2

Notable alumni

References

{{Reflist}}