Owen Sound Mercurys
Encyclopedia
The Owen Sound Mercurys are a defunct Canadian
senior ice hockey
team. The team played in the City of Owen Sound
, Ontario
, Canada
and participated in the OHA Senior A Hockey League, the highest possible level of Canadian Senior hockey.
In 1947, the team donned the Mercurys moniker. They made it back to the OHA Senior A final again in 1951 to beat a team from Sarnia 4-games-to-2. The Mercurys pushed on to the Allan Cup
final where they faced the Fort Frances Canadians. The Canadians drove all the way from Fort Frances, Ontario
on the Manitoba
border to compete with the Mercurys at the Centennial Arena. The Mercurys won game one and the Canadians pulled even in game two. Game three went to the Mercurys and again the Canadians answered in game four. With the momentum, the Canadians broke the pattern and won game five to take their first series lead. The Mercurys had their backs to the wall, with one more loss the National Championship would go to Fort Frances. In game six, the Mercurys came out blazing and defeated the Canadians 7-4 to force a game seven. The seventh game was low scoring, but this played to Owen Sound's favour as they took the game 3-1, the series 4-games-to-3, and the Canadian Senior National Championship. The team's championship photo can be seen at the Bayshore Community Centre
's Sports Hall of Fame .
In 1952, the Mercurys made the finals again. Their opponents were the Stratford Indians
. The defending Allan Cup
champions were upset in full seven game battle, 4-games-to-3.
A year later, the Mercurys made their third straight league final. Their opponents were the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen. The Dutchmen took the series 4-games-to-2 and went on to win the Allan Cup
as National Champions.
The 1953-54 season saw the Mercurys push back to their fourth straight league final. In their way was the Stratford Indians
. Unlike 1952, the Mercurys took it to the Indians and swept the series 4-games-to-none to win their second league title in four seasons. The Mercurys did not make it to the Allan Cup
final in 1954, as the Eastern Championship went to the Northern Ontario Hockey Association
's Sudbury Wolves.
In 1956-57, the OHA Senior A league absorbed many teams from the Ottawa District Hockey Association
. The Mercurys floundered in the eleven team league and finished last. The team folded and Senior hockey did not return to Owen Sound until 1969 with the Owen Sound Crescents.
For the 2010-11 season, the Owen Sound Attack
of the Ontario Hockey League
wore the 1951 Mercurys jersey as a throwback third jersey in honour of the 50th anniversary of their 1951 Allan Cup
victory.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
senior ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team. The team played in the City of Owen Sound
Owen Sound, Ontario
Owen Sound , the county seat of Grey County, is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and participated in the OHA Senior A Hockey League, the highest possible level of Canadian Senior hockey.
History
Founded in at least the 1940s as the Owen Sound Mohawks, the team was a member of the OHA Senior A league. The league was highly competitive and littered with teams that were constantly jumping back and forth from semi-pro. In the 1946-47 season, the Mohawks made it to the league final, but were put down by the Hamilton Tigers 3-games-to-2.In 1947, the team donned the Mercurys moniker. They made it back to the OHA Senior A final again in 1951 to beat a team from Sarnia 4-games-to-2. The Mercurys pushed on to the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
final where they faced the Fort Frances Canadians. The Canadians drove all the way from Fort Frances, Ontario
Fort Frances, Ontario
Fort Frances is a town in, and the seat of, Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The population as of the 2006 census was 8,103 and Fort Frances' population peaked in 1971 at 9,947...
on the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
border to compete with the Mercurys at the Centennial Arena. The Mercurys won game one and the Canadians pulled even in game two. Game three went to the Mercurys and again the Canadians answered in game four. With the momentum, the Canadians broke the pattern and won game five to take their first series lead. The Mercurys had their backs to the wall, with one more loss the National Championship would go to Fort Frances. In game six, the Mercurys came out blazing and defeated the Canadians 7-4 to force a game seven. The seventh game was low scoring, but this played to Owen Sound's favour as they took the game 3-1, the series 4-games-to-3, and the Canadian Senior National Championship. The team's championship photo can be seen at the Bayshore Community Centre
Bayshore Community Centre
The Bayshore Community Centre contains the J.D. McArthur Arena, a 4,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. The facility was opened in 1983 on the east shore of Owen Sound Bay and replaced the city's old downtown arena.Known locally as "Bayshore Arena," it is home to the Owen...
's Sports Hall of Fame .
In 1952, the Mercurys made the finals again. Their opponents were the Stratford Indians
Stratford Indians
The Stratford Indians were a senior men's hockey team located in Stratford, Ontario. They played their games at the Classic City Arena , in Stratford. The team played in the OHA Senior A League in the 1960s....
. The defending Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
champions were upset in full seven game battle, 4-games-to-3.
A year later, the Mercurys made their third straight league final. Their opponents were the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen. The Dutchmen took the series 4-games-to-2 and went on to win the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
as National Champions.
The 1953-54 season saw the Mercurys push back to their fourth straight league final. In their way was the Stratford Indians
Stratford Indians
The Stratford Indians were a senior men's hockey team located in Stratford, Ontario. They played their games at the Classic City Arena , in Stratford. The team played in the OHA Senior A League in the 1960s....
. Unlike 1952, the Mercurys took it to the Indians and swept the series 4-games-to-none to win their second league title in four seasons. The Mercurys did not make it to the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
final in 1954, as the Eastern Championship went to the Northern Ontario Hockey Association
Northern Ontario Hockey Association
The Northern Ontario Hockey Association is minor and junior level ice hockey governing body. The NOHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada. The major league run by the NOHA is the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League...
's Sudbury Wolves.
In 1956-57, the OHA Senior A league absorbed many teams from the Ottawa District Hockey Association
Ottawa District Hockey Association
The Ottawa District Hockey Association is the governing body of a variety of ice hockey Junior leagues and a minor hockey system based out of the Greater Ottawa area and Southwestern Quebec...
. The Mercurys floundered in the eleven team league and finished last. The team folded and Senior hockey did not return to Owen Sound until 1969 with the Owen Sound Crescents.
For the 2010-11 season, the Owen Sound Attack
Owen Sound Attack
The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey in the Ontario Hockey League since the year 2000. The Attack are based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
wore the 1951 Mercurys jersey as a throwback third jersey in honour of the 50th anniversary of their 1951 Allan Cup
1951 Allan Cup
The 1951 Allan Cup was the Canadian national senior ice hockey championship for the 1950-51 Senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Owen Sound Mercurys and Owen Sound, Ontario...
victory.
Season-by-Season results
| Season | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs | ||
| 1946-47 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 76 | 88 | 26 | 2nd OHA Sr. A | Lost Final | ||
| 1947-48 | 36 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 176 | 178 | 38 | 5th OHA Sr. A | |||
| 1948-49 | Statistics Not Available | ||||||||||
| 1949-50 | 42 | 10 | 31 | 1 | 121 | 218 | 21 | 4th OHA Sr. A | |||
| 1950-51 | Statistics Not Available—Won League, Won Allan Cup Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:... |
||||||||||
| 1951-52 | 50 | 23 | 26 | 1 | 227 | 231 | 47 | 3rd OHA Sr. A | Lost Final | ||
| 1952-53 | 47 | 33 | 11 | 3 | 273 | 65 | 69 | 1st OHA Sr. A | Lost Final | ||
| 1953-54 | 56 | 39 | 16 | 1 | 262 | 194 | 79 | 1st OHA Sr. A | Won League | ||
| 1954-55 | 50 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 208 | 177 | 58 | 3rd OHA Sr. A | |||
| 1955-56 | 48 | 21 | 23 | 4 | 186 | 181 | 46 | 3rd OHA Sr. A | |||
| 1956-57 | 52 | 9 | 42 | 1 | 156 | 314 | 19 | 11th OHA Sr. A | |||
See also
- International Hockey League (1945-2001)
- OHA Senior A Hockey League (1929-1979)
- Allan CupAllan CupThe Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...