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Victoria Cougars (VIJHL)
Encyclopedia
The Victoria Cougars are a junior "B" ice hockey
team based in Victoria
, British Columbia
, Canada
. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League
(VIJHL). The Cougars play their home games at Archie Browning Arena. Gary Boyer is the team's president and general manager, Mark Van Helvoirt is the coach
and they are captained
by forward Brody Coulter.
The Cougars joined the league in 1998 as an expansion team. In its VIJHL history, the team has won the Cyclone Taylor Cup
once, in 2007. The Cougars have won the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy three times in 2005, 2007 and 2008. They won the Andy Hebenton Trophy twice, as the team with the league's best regular season record in 2007 and 2010.
provincial championships.
They followed that up with their best regular season record in the 2006-07 season, going 39-6-0-3 for 81 points, and a winning percentage of 0.840, second best in the province. In the 2007 playoffs the Cougars won their second VIJHL playoff championship in three years. They then hosted the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial Junior "B" championships at Esquimalt’s Archie Browning Sports Centre, and won the tournament, defeating the Abbotsford Pilots
4-1 to earn the title of best Junior "B" team in the province in their ninth year of operation.
The Cougars success on the ice continues: The Cougars have finished in the top two in the VIJHL for the last six straight regular seasons, capturing the regular season championship in the 2007/08 and 2010/11 seasons; they have been in the VIJHL Finals six of the last 9 years since 2003, capturing three Brent Patterson Memorial Trophys.
With their success, the fan base has steadily increased over the past nine years from less that 100 fans in 1998 to an average regular season crowd of 400 fans, and up to 900 fans during their playoff run.
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 based in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 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...
. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League
Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League
The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a junior "B" ice hockey league of 7 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada. The Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion...
(VIJHL). The Cougars play their home games at Archie Browning Arena. Gary Boyer is the team's president and general manager, Mark Van Helvoirt is the coach
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
and they are captained
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
by forward Brody Coulter.
The Cougars joined the league in 1998 as an expansion team. In its VIJHL history, the team has won the Cyclone Taylor Cup
Cyclone Taylor Cup
The Cyclone Taylor Cup tournament serves as the British Columbia Provincial Junior B Hockey Championship. The annual tournament is held amongst the champions of British Columbia's three Junior B ice hockey leagues, as well as a host team...
once, in 2007. The Cougars have won the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy three times in 2005, 2007 and 2008. They won the Andy Hebenton Trophy twice, as the team with the league's best regular season record in 2007 and 2010.
History
From their inaugural year when the team won only one game all season, the Cougars have improved every season. In March 2005, the Victoria Cougars won their first Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy, and won the bronze medal at the Cyclone Taylor CupCyclone Taylor Cup
The Cyclone Taylor Cup tournament serves as the British Columbia Provincial Junior B Hockey Championship. The annual tournament is held amongst the champions of British Columbia's three Junior B ice hockey leagues, as well as a host team...
provincial championships.
They followed that up with their best regular season record in the 2006-07 season, going 39-6-0-3 for 81 points, and a winning percentage of 0.840, second best in the province. In the 2007 playoffs the Cougars won their second VIJHL playoff championship in three years. They then hosted the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial Junior "B" championships at Esquimalt’s Archie Browning Sports Centre, and won the tournament, defeating the Abbotsford Pilots
Abbotsford Pilots
The Abbotsford Pilots are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Harold Brittain Conference of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League...
4-1 to earn the title of best Junior "B" team in the province in their ninth year of operation.
The Cougars success on the ice continues: The Cougars have finished in the top two in the VIJHL for the last six straight regular seasons, capturing the regular season championship in the 2007/08 and 2010/11 seasons; they have been in the VIJHL Finals six of the last 9 years since 2003, capturing three Brent Patterson Memorial Trophys.
With their success, the fan base has steadily increased over the past nine years from less that 100 fans in 1998 to an average regular season crowd of 400 fans, and up to 900 fans during their playoff run.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Results | Playoffs |
| 1998-99 | 40 | 1 | 38 | 1 | - | 3 | 120 | 407 | 4th, South | Lost in Division Semifinals |
| 1999-00 | 40 | 11 | 22 | 7 | - | 29 | 168 | 219 | 3rd, South | Lost in Division Semifinals |
| 2000-01 | 48 | 23 | 19 | 6 | - | 52 | 233 | 212 | 3rd, South | Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-3 (Islanders Kerry Park Islanders The Kerry Park Islanders are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Islanders play their home games at Kerry Park Arena... ) |
| 2001-02 | 48 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 56 | 223 | 209 | 2nd, South | Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-3 (Islanders Kerry Park Islanders The Kerry Park Islanders are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Islanders play their home games at Kerry Park Arena... ) |
| 2002-03 | 48 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 59 | 254 | 191 | 1st, South | Lost in Finals, 0-3 (Storm Campbell River Storm The Campbell River Storm are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Storm play their home games at Rod Brind'Amour Arena. Kevin Spooner is the team's president, general... ) |
| 2003-04 | 48 | 28 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 59 | 230 | 186 | 2nd, South | Lost in Division Finals (Panthers Peninsula Panthers The Victoria Cougars are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Panthers play their home games at Panorama Recreation Centre... ) |
| 2004-05 | 48 | 29 | 11 | - | 3 | 61 | 219 | 145 | 2nd, South | Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy Champions |
| 2005-06 | 42 | 29 | 8 | - | 3 | 61 | 231 | 129 | 2nd, South | Lost in Quarterfinals |
| 2006-07 | 48 | 39 | 6 | - | 3 | 81 | 303 | 132 | 1st, South | Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy Champions Gold Cyclone Taylor Cup Cyclone Taylor Cup The Cyclone Taylor Cup tournament serves as the British Columbia Provincial Junior B Hockey Championship. The annual tournament is held amongst the champions of British Columbia's three Junior B ice hockey leagues, as well as a host team... Champions |
| 2007-08 | 48 | 34 | 9 | - | 3 | 71 | 226 | 120 | 1st, South | Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy Champions |
| 2008-09 | 48 | 34 | 8 | - | 6 | 74 | 236 | 132 | 2nd, South | Lost in Finals (Generals Oceanside Generals The Oceanside Generals are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Parksville, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Generals play their home games at Oceanside Place. Dave Johnson is the team's president, general manager... ) |
| 2009-10 | 48 | 34 | 7 | - | 7 | 75 | 229 | 141 | 2nd, South | |
| 2010-11 | 44 | 33 | 9 | - | 2 | 68 | 202 | 110 | 1st, South | Lost in Finals, 3-4 (Panthers Peninsula Panthers The Victoria Cougars are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Panthers play their home games at Panorama Recreation Centre... ) |