Virginia Lancers
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.
folding halfway into the 1982-83 season of the ACHL
.. The Lancers would continue to play in several leagues over the next seven years. They would continue to play in the ACHL from 1983 until 1987. John Tortorella
, a former Lancer forward who stepped behind the bench in the 1986-87 season, would finish with the league's best record and eventually win the Bob Paine Trophy
, which is given to the team who wins the league championship.
(All-American Hockey League) for the 1987-88 season. Coach Tortorella would lead his team to a 37-5-0-1 record and finish with the best record in the league, but would lose the league championship to Carolina Thunderbirds
. After the season, both Virginia and Carolina would leave the league to join the East Coast Hockey League. The newly formed Johnstown Chiefs
would also leave for the ECHL
, and the AAHL would fold a season later.
in the playoffs. The Lancers would lose the best-of-five series three games to one, which included back to back losses at Greensboro in games 3 and 4.
After the 1992-1993 season, the franchise was moved to Alabama and became the Huntsville Blast
. The Blast remained in Huntsville for one season before transferring to Tallahassee and being renamed the Tiger Sharks
, where they played until the 2000-2001 season. The Tiger Sharks ceased operations in 2001 but leased the team the Macon Sports Group in Macon, Georgia, where the Macon Whoopee
were founded. Poor attendance and lack of corporate sponsorship caused the Whoopee to fold and the rights to the franchise were transferred to what eventually became the Lexington Men O' War
. Attendance was also a problem in Lexington. The franchise was transferred and has been presently assigned to the Utah Grizzlies.
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1983-1987)
The Virginia Lancers were founded as the result of the Nashville South StarsNashville South Stars
The Nashville South Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League for the 1981-82 season. They then played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League for the 1982-83 season and part of the 1983-84 season before the franchise relocated to become the Virginia Lancers.It had been...
folding halfway into the 1982-83 season of the ACHL
Atlantic Coast Hockey League
The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey....
.. The Lancers would continue to play in several leagues over the next seven years. They would continue to play in the ACHL from 1983 until 1987. John Tortorella
John Tortorella
Jonathan "John" Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and is now the head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He is perhaps best known for his tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he led the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship...
, a former Lancer forward who stepped behind the bench in the 1986-87 season, would finish with the league's best record and eventually win the Bob Paine Trophy
Bob Paine Trophy
The Bob Paine Trophy was awarded to the play-off champion of the now-defunct Atlantic Coast Hockey League. The Paine Trophy was awarded to teams since the ACHL's inaugural season of 1981–82 until the ACHL's final season of 1986–87. The trophy is named after Bob Paine, an executive with several...
, which is given to the team who wins the league championship.
All-American Hockey League (1987-1988)
The Lancers transferred to the AAHLAll-American Hockey League
The All-American Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization formed in 1972 with teams based in the Upper Midwest and Great lakes regions of the United States as the Continental Hockey League. In 1986 the league folded and the Danville, Dayton, Troy went on to form the All-American Hockey...
(All-American Hockey League) for the 1987-88 season. Coach Tortorella would lead his team to a 37-5-0-1 record and finish with the best record in the league, but would lose the league championship to Carolina Thunderbirds
Carolina Thunderbirds
The Carolina Thunderbirds were a professional ice hockey team located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. The Thunderbirds played their home games at the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum before the arena was demolished in 1989...
. After the season, both Virginia and Carolina would leave the league to join the East Coast Hockey League. The newly formed Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
would also leave for the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
, and the AAHL would fold a season later.
East Coast Hockey League (1988-1990)
With a new coach and a new league, the Lancers found themselves outside of the postseason in their initial ECHL season. Finishing 22-30-8 put them in fifth place out of five teams. The Lancers would find a replacement coach in Dave Allison for the 1989 season, and the team responded by finishing 36-18-6 with 76 points. The Lancers would finish in 3rd place out of 8 teams and would face 4th place Greensboro MonarchsGreensboro Monarchs
The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...
in the playoffs. The Lancers would lose the best-of-five series three games to one, which included back to back losses at Greensboro in games 3 and 4.
Name changes and relocation (1990-present)
Prior to the 1990-1991 season, the name was changed to the Roanoke Valley Rebels. They used this name for two seasons, and then became the Roanoke Valley Rampage for the 1992-1993 season. Despite the name changes, the franchise remained in the same location throughout.After the 1992-1993 season, the franchise was moved to Alabama and became the Huntsville Blast
Huntsville Blast
The Huntsville Blast was a minor league professional ice hockey team and member of the East Coast Hockey League . The Blast played at the Von Braun Center Arena in Huntsville, Alabama for the 1993–94 ECHL season. Previously the franchise played as the Roanoke Valley Rampage in Vinton, Virginia...
. The Blast remained in Huntsville for one season before transferring to Tallahassee and being renamed the Tiger Sharks
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
The Tallahassee Tiger Sharks were a minor professional ice hockey team that played in the ECHL from 1994–2001. Under this period they served as a minor league affiliate to New York Islanders , Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens....
, where they played until the 2000-2001 season. The Tiger Sharks ceased operations in 2001 but leased the team the Macon Sports Group in Macon, Georgia, where the Macon Whoopee
Macon Whoopee
The Macon Whoopee was the name given to two distinct former ice hockey teams, both of which were located in Macon, Georgia. The teams played their home games at the Macon Coliseum....
were founded. Poor attendance and lack of corporate sponsorship caused the Whoopee to fold and the rights to the franchise were transferred to what eventually became the Lexington Men O' War
Lexington Men O' War
The Lexington Men O' War were a minor league professional ice hockey team and member of the ECHL. The Men O' War played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky from 2002-2003. Like Lexington's previous team before them , success on the ice did not bring good attendance figures...
. Attendance was also a problem in Lexington. The franchise was transferred and has been presently assigned to the Utah Grizzlies.
Notable personnel
- Pierre LagacePierre LagacePierre Lagace is a former professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the eighth round, 73rd overall, of the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft...
- former Quebec NordiquesQuebec NordiquesThe Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
and Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
draft pick. Played 38 games for the Nordiques in the World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
over 2 seasons. - Paul O'Neil - former player-coach who coached the Lancers from 1983-85. Played for the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and played one game for the Birmingham BullsBirmingham BullsThe Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
of the World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
. - Mario RobergeMario RobergeMario Roberge is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Roberge started his National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1991. He would play his entire career with Montreal and leave after the 1995 season. He would win one Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993...
- former Lancers forward who went on to play 112 games with the Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
from 1991-1995. Roberge was a member of the 1993 Stanley Cup-winning Canadiens team. - John TorchettiJohn TorchettiJohn Torchetti is the head coach of the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros and a former professional ice hockey player. Previously, he was the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League , and the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL for the 2006–2007 season...
- former Lancers forward who has coached in the QMJHL and NHL. He also served as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay LightningTampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, interim head coach for the Florida Panthers, interim head coach of the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and as an assistant coach of the Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
. - John TortorellaJohn TortorellaJonathan "John" Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and is now the head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He is perhaps best known for his tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he led the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship...
- former player who coached the team from 1986 to 1988, finishing both seasons with the best record in the league. After leaving the Lancers, he would later coach the Rochester AmericansRochester AmericansThe Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
of the AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and Tampa Bay Lightning, where he would lead his team to their respective championships. He is currently the head coach of the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
.