Montreal-Est Rangers

Le Rangers de Montreal-Est are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Montréal-Est, Quebec, Canada. They are a part of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League.

History

2004-05 season

In 2004, the Joliette Action were formed after another team's rights were sold to the city.

Prior to the 2004-05 season, the Action were known as Les Éperviers de Contrecoeur. It is not known what year the Éperviers were founded.

Their first year in Joliette went well. The Action finished the season with a winning record.

2006 Royal Bank Cup run

The 2005-06 season finished with the Action finishing first in their league with 39 wins, 8 losses, and 4 overtime losses. The Action received a bye in the QJAAAHL's preliminary round and met up with the St. Lawrence Lions in the league quarter-final. The Action swept the Lions 4-games-to-none. In the league semi-final, the Action drew the Le Collège Français de Longueuil and defeated them 4-games-to-2 to move on to the league final. The Action then went on to win the NAPA Cup as QJAAAHL champions by defeating the Lafleche Titans 4-games-to-2 in the league final.

After winning the NAPA cup, the Joliette Action moved on to the Fred Page Cup championship in Pembroke, Ontario. The Fred Page Cup is the Eastern Canadian championship of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The championship is competed upon by a host city, the QJAAAHL champion and the champions of the Central Junior A Hockey League and the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. The tournament consists of a four team round robin, a semi-final and a one game "take all" final. Game one of the round robin had the Action up against the tournament host Pembroke Lumber Kings. The Kings were a tournament favourite, and smoked the Action by a score of 8-1. In game two, the Action challenged the CJHL champion Hawkesbury Hawks. After regulation, the score was tied 6-6. The Action came out on top in double overtime taking the game by a score of 7-6. The third game had the Quebec champions up against the MJAHL champion Woodstock Slammers. For the second time, the Action and their opponents went into overtime tied 6-6. The Action won again, clinching a birth into the semi-final by defeating the Slammers in overtime, 7-6. In the semi-final, the Action met Hawkesbury yet again and defeated them 6-4. This set up a grudge match in the final between Pembroke and the l'Action. In the final, the underdog Action defeated the Lumber Kings 4-2 to earn their first trip to the Royal Bank Cup.

The Royal Bank Cup 2006 was hosted by Brampton, Ontario and the Streetsville Derbys of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. Along with the Eastern champions Action, were the Central champion Fort William North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League, Western champion Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and the Pacific champion Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League. The tournament is a five team round robin, two semi-finals, and a one game "take all" final. In game one, the Action took on the Yorkton Terriers. The Terriers proved to be the more dominant squad and defeated Joliette 4-1. The second game saw the Action playoff against the Fort William North Stars of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The North Stars rallied late against the Action and caught them on their heels, tying the game 3-3 and sending it into overtime. The Action, took to the defensive in overtime and lost this crucial game 4-3. With this loss, the Action would have to win their next two games if they wished to make the tournament's playoff round. The Action's desperation kicked in, and in game three they defeated the host Streetsville by a score of 4-1 to keep their hopes alive. The fourth and final game was against the Burnaby Express, led by a 16-year-old Kyle Turris. With a win, the Action would clinch a playoff spot, with a loss they would be eliminated. The game did not work out as planned. The Action lost 5-3 and Turris and his Express would go on to win the National Championship only a few days later.

2009

In the summer of 2009, the Action became the Joliette Traffic.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

External links

• Rangers Webpage