Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques
| Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Lewiston, Maine |
| League | NA3HL |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Home arena | Androscoggin Bank Colisee |
| Colors |
Sky Blue, Midnight Blue, Vegas Gold, and White |
| Owner(s) | Jim Cain |
| Head coach | Cam Robichaud |
| Franchise history | |
| 2012–2013 | Lake George Fighting Spirit |
| 2013–2014 | AHI Fighting Spirit |
| 2014–2015 | New Hampshire Fighting Spirit |
| 2015–2017 | L/A Fighting Spirit |
| 2017–present | Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques |
The Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques are a Tier III Junior "A" ice hockey team from Lewiston, Maine. The team is a member of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) and plays home games at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
History
The team was founded in 2012 as the Lake George Fighting Spirit playing out of Lake George, New York. The Fighting Spirit joined the Northern States Hockey League (NSHL) as one of the seven inaugural teams.[1]
The Fighting Spirit won the inaugural NSHL regular season championship with a record of 37-4-1. With the title, the Fighting Spirit received an automatic bid, with the second place Syracuse Stampede, to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) United Hockey Union tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament included the top teams from the three AAU-sanctioned leagues; the NSHL, Western States Hockey League, and the Midwest Junior Hockey League.[2]
Prior to the 2013–14 season, the team moved to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire and were known as the AHI Fighting Spirit to reflect a partnership with the American Hockey Institute.[3] The Fighting Spirit captured the team's second straight NSHL regular season title with a record of 31-4-3-2. After falling in the playoffs and participating in the second UHU National Championship in Las Vegas, the team announced a move to Laconia, New Hampshire and would change their name to the New Hampshire Fighting Spirit for the 2014–15 season.[4] During the 2014–15 season, the NSHL changed its name to the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League (NA3EHL) when operations were taken over by the Tier II North American Hockey League. During this time the organization left the AAU and petitioned for approval into USA Hockey sanctioning which was given prior to the 2015–16 season.
Prior to the 2015–16 season the Fighting Spirit relocated again to Lewiston, Maine and is called the L/A Fighting Spirit (with the L/A standing for Lewiston/Auburn) and plays home games at Androscoggin Bank Colisee.[5] Prior to the 2016–17 season, the Fighting Spirit became part of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) when it absorbed the NA3EHL.
In March 2017, it was announced that Fighting Spirit owner and head coach Rod Simmons had sold the team to the owner of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, Jim Cain. Cain has announced that beginning with the 2017–18 season, the team will rebrand as the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques after the former professional team, the Maine Nordiques.[6] With Simmons also stepping down from his coaching position, assistant coach Cam Robichaud was retained and promoted to head coach.
Statistics
Season records
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Hockey League | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | 42 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 75 | 183 | 83 | 1st of 7, NSHL[7] | Won Semifinal game vs. Eastern Kodiaks Lost League Championship game vs. Syracuse Stampede[8] | ||||||||||
| 2013–14 | 40 | 31 | 4 | 5 | 67 | 174 | 97 | 1st of 9, NSHL | Won Round 1 series, 2–0 vs. New England Stars Lost Semifinal game vs. Jersey Shore Wildcats | ||||||||||
| North American 3 Eastern Hockey League | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | 41 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 68 | 174 | 75 | 1st of 5, Eastern Div. 2nd of 10, NA3EHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Maine Wild Won Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Cape Cod Islanders Lost League Championship, 2–1 vs. Jersey Shore Wildcats | ||||||||||
| 2015–16 | 44 | 33 | 10 | 1 | 67 | 194 | 67 | 2nd of 7, Eastern Div. 3rd of 13, NA3EHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. New England Stars Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Cape Cod Islanders | ||||||||||
| North American 3 Hockey League | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–17 | 47 | 23 | 21 | 3 | 49 | 163 | 184 | 5th of 7, Coastal 26th of 48, NA3HL | Did not qualify | ||||||||||
United Hockey Union Nationals
AAU Sanctioned Junior A National Champions
In 2013 & 2014 MWJHL, NSHL, & WSHL advanced two teams each.
| Year | Round Robin | Record Ranking |
Semi Final Game | Championship Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | OTW, Bay Area Seals (WSHL) 4–3 L, Idaho Jr. Steelheads (WSHL) 0–3 L, Syracuse Stampede (NSHL) 0–4 | 1–2–0 6th of 6 | Did not advance | |
| 2014 | OTL, Soo Firehawks (MWJHL) 5–6 W, Jersey Shore Wildcats (NSHL) 5–0 OTW, Idaho Jr. Steelheads (WSHL) 6–5 | 2–0–1 2nd of 6 | L, Idaho Jr. Steelheads (WSHL) 1–6 | — |
References
- ↑ Follos, Tim (May 11, 2012). "Forum’s Simmons works to create elite hockey club". North Countryman. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ↑ Tobey, Pete (March 22, 2013). "Fighting Spirit to host hockey playoffs". Glens Falls Post-Star. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ↑ "Two new teams call WVR home ice". Visit Waterville Valley. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ↑ Staff (March 14, 2014). "Fighting Spirit Laconia bound: Northern States Hockey League team will call Ice Arena home next winter". Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ↑ "Fighting Spirit to relocate to Lewiston, Maine". NA3EHL. December 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Junior hockey: Nordiques to skate in Lewiston again". Sun Journal. March 7, 2017.
- ↑ "Elite Prospects 2012–13 NSHL Standings". Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Lake George Fight Hard, but can't pull past Syracuse.". WMML 1230AM. March 25, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2014.