Niagara Falls Flyers

Niagara Falls Flyers
City Niagara Falls, Ontario
League Ontario Hockey
Association
Operated 1960 (1960)–72 and 1976–82
Home arena Niagara Falls
Memorial Arena
Colours Gold, white and black
Parent club(s) Boston Bruins (1960–67)
Championships 1965 & 1968 Memorial Cup Champions
Franchise history
1943–47 St. Catharines Falcons
1947–62 St. Catharines Teepees
1962–76 St. Catharines Black Hawks
1976–82 Niagara Falls Flyers
1982–02 North Bay Centennials
2002–present Saginaw Spirit
Previous franchise history
1945–60 Barrie Flyers
1960–72 Niagara Falls Flyers
1972–present Sudbury Wolves

The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982.

Both teams were owned by the Emms Family, and were relocated to Niagara Falls from another city. The Niagara Falls Memorial Arena was home ice to both teams.

History

Flyers logo from 1960 to 1972.

The first Flyers team relocated to Niagara Falls from Barrie in 1960. The team was affiliated with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. The Flyers appeared in three Memorial Cups in the 1960s, winning in 1965 and 1968.

1963 Memorial Cup

Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons for the OHA championship, and the Espanola Eagles to win the George Richardson Memorial Trophy as eastern Canadian representatives.

The Flyers were runners up to the Memorial Cup in 1963 played at Edmonton's Arena Gardens. They lost in six games to the Edmonton Oil Kings in a best-of-seven series. Flyers players Dornhoefer and Harmer both suffered broken legs while on the ice.

1965 Memorial Cup

Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the defending champions Toronto Marlboros for the OHA championship. The Memorial Cup in 1965 was again played at Edmonton's Arena Gardens. They defeated the Oil Kings 4 games to 1 in a best-of-seven rematch series from two years previous. The series was filled with brawls and suspensions, as well as a heavy police presence throughout.

1968 Memorial Cup

Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the Kitchener Rangers for the OHA championship, and the Verdun Maple Leafs for the eastern championship.

The 1968 Memorial Cup featured two Boston Bruins farm teams playing one another. The Flyers would play the Estevan Bruins on home ice, except for game two at the Montreal Forum. Game 4 was the longest in Memorial Cup history, lasting into five periods. Niagara Falls defeated Estevan in a best-of-seven series in five games.

Second Flyers

The Emms Family sold the Flyers in 1972 after it played for 12 seasons. The new owners then relocated the team to Sudbury to become the Sudbury Wolves.

Later the same year, after selling the Flyers, the Emms family bought the St. Catharines Black Hawks team who were the OHA champions the previous year. Four years after buying the Black Hawks, the Emms family relocated them to Niagara Falls in 1976, taking the same name as the previous team. The Emms family later sold this version of the Flyers in 1978.[1][2]

The second Flyers team played for 4 seasons in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1976 to 1980, and 2 years in the Ontario Hockey League from 1980 to 1982. The Flyers appeared in the OHA finals in 1979, losing to Peterborough. Niagara Falls lost its Flyers team a second time in 1982 when they moved to North Bay to become the Centennials, who have subsequently moved to Saginaw in 2002 to become the Saginaw Spirit.

Championships

The Niagara Falls Flyers are one of a few clubs to win multiple Memorial Cup championships. Also of note, the franchise were repeat champions in different home cities, of Barrie and Niagara Falls. In total, the Flyers won the Memorial Cup twice in Niagara Falls, and twice in Barrie. and the J. Ross Robertson Cup 3 times each in Barrie and Niagara Falls. The Flyers finished first overall in 1963 & 1965 during the regular season to win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. The second Niagara Falls Flyers team won the western conference Emms Trophy in the 1978–79 playoffs.

Coaches

The Flyers from 1960 to 1972 were coached by Hap Emms, Bill Long and Paul Emms. The Flyers coaches from 1976 to 1982 are listed below.

Players

A combined total of 82 players from the Niagara Falls Flyers franchises would play in the National Hockey League. Two of those would be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Award winners

Hall of Famers

Bernie Parent (1963–1965), Mike Gartner (1976–1979)

NHL alumni

1960 to 1972
1976 to 1982

Yearly results

Regular season 1960–72

Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Pct % Goals
for 		Goals
against 		Standing
1960–61482221 5490.5101651664th OHA
1961–6250162311430.4301931934th OHA
1962–63503112 7690.6902121461st OHA
1963–64562622 8600.5362071784th OHA
1964–65563611 9810.7232361681st OHA
1965–6648231510560.5832101623rd OHA
1966–6748231510560.5832381952nd OHA
1967–68543215 7710.6572551694th OHA
1968–69542824 2580.5372232294th OHA
1969–70541041 3230.21315131310th OHA
1970–71621144 7290.23419335010th OHA
1971–72632727 9630.5002802936th OHA

Playoffs

Regular season 1976–82

Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Pct % Goals
for 		Goals
against 		Standing
1976–77661545 6360.273254 3706th Emms
1977–7868174110440.324261 3406th Emms
1978–79684321 4900.662361 2431st Emms
1979–80682939 0580.426325 3554th Emms
1980–81 683036 2620.456354 3594th Emms
1981–82 683134 3650.478311 3384th Emms

Playoffs

Arena

The Niagara Falls Flyers played home games at Niagara Falls Memorial Arena from 1960 to 1972, and again from 1976 to 1982. The arena hosted Memorial Cup games in 1968.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.stcatharineslock3museum.ca/blackhawks.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12547
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