West Nipissing Lynx
| West Nipissing Lynx | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| League | Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Home arena | Sturgeon Falls Arena |
| Colours |
Black, Yellow, and White |
| Franchise history | |
| 2010–2016 | Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks |
| 2016–present | West Nipissing Lynx |
The West Nipissing Lynx are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League.
History
The Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks were announced in the summer of 2010.[1] The Lumberjacks replaced the folded Nipissing Alouettes, who left the GMHL in 2009.
On September 10, 2010, the Lumberjacks played their first ever regular season game against the Elliot Lake Bobcats in Elliot Lake. The Bobcats won the game 7-2. On September 12, 2010, the Lumberjacks played on the road against the Powassan Dragons and earned their franchise's first victory with a 5-2 win.
In their second season, the Lumberjacks finished second place in the GMHL with a record of 35 wins and 7 losses. In the league quarter-final, the Jacks faced the 2010 league champion Deseronto Storm and survived a five-game series 3-games-to-2. In the semi-final, Sturgeon Falls defeated the league's only two-time champion, the Bradford Rattlers, in a four-game sweep. In the final, the Lumberjacks drew the first-seeded Temiscaming Titans. Despite being an expansion team, the Titans were created with the remnants of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League's Temiscaming Royals, and were a seasoned and tough team. The Titans finished the season ahead of the Jacks with a record of 38 wins and 4 losses and were undefeated through two rounds of playoffs (7-0). The Lumberjacks quickly went up two games on the Titans, but were defeated in game three. The Jacks took game four, but the Titans refused to lose the championship on home ice in game five. Game six was in Sturgeon Falls and the Jacks would not waste it, cruising to a 6-1 victory and their first Russell Cup as GMHL Champions.
On September 29, 2012, the Lumberjacks became the first GMHL club to ice a female hockey player. Goaltender Alyssa Moyer made her GMHL debut in a 7-5 loss to the Shelburne Red Wings, making 21 saves.[2]
In January 2016, the team announced that it could not finish the 2015–16 season due to lack of uninjured players but plans to return for the 2016–17 season.[3][4]
In June 2016, Lumberjacks' owner Lui Ricci sold the team to two local owners looking to re-energize the team. The team was then re-branded as the West Nipissing Lynx.
Season-by-season records
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Standings | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 42 | 10 | 28 | — | 4 | 146 | 273 | 24 | 12th GMHL | Lost Qualifier |
| 2011–12 | 42 | 35 | 7 | — | 0 | 312 | 170 | 70 | 2nd GMHL | Won League |
| 2012–13 | 42 | 15 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 195 | 234 | 30 | 12th of 15, GMHL | Lost Division Quarter-final |
| 2013–14 | 42 | 6 | 34 | — | 2 | 130 | 321 | 14 | 17th of 20, GMHL | Lost Qualifier |
| 2014–15 | 42 | 11 | 31 | — | 0 | 130 | 292 | 22 | 5th of 10, North 17th of 22, GMHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 0-3 vs. Titans |
| 2015–16 | 37 | 11 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 196 | 244 | 23 | 7th GMHL-N (Ceased play mid-season) | |
| West Nipissing Lynx | ||||||||||
| 2016–17 | ||||||||||
Playoffs
- 2011 Lost qualifier
- Powassan Dragons defeated Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks 2-games-to-1 in qualifier
- 2012 Won League
- Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks defeated Deseronto Storm 3-games-to-2 in quarter-final
- Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks defeated Bradford Rattlers 4-games-to-none in semi-final
- Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks defeated Temiscaming Titans 4-games-to-2 in final
- 2013 Lost division quarter-final
- South Muskoka Shield defeated Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks 3-games-to-none in division quarter-final
- 2014 Lost qualifier
- Bobcaygeon Bucks beat Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks 9-8
- 2015
- Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks defeated Almaguin Spartans 5-4 in overtime in North Division Elimination Qualifier Game.
- Temiscaming Titans beat Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks 3-games-to-none in division semi-final
References
- ↑ http://www.baytoday.ca/content/sports/details.asp?c=36701
- ↑ Local female goalie first to play in GMHL. Midland Free Press. October 11, 2012. Section B Page 1.
- ↑ "Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks Statement". Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ↑ "THE DEATH POOL – GMHL STURGEON FALLS LUMBERJACKS MERCIFULLY KILLED OFF". The Junior Hockey News. 1 February 2016.