Wingham Ironmen

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Wingham Ironmen
CityWingham, Ontario[1]
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceNorth
DivisionPollock
Founded1973[1]
Home arenaNorth Huron Wescast Community Complex
ColoursBlue, Yellow, and White
General managerCory Hamilton
Head coachDawson Smith

The Wingham Ironmen are a Junior ice hockey team based in Wingham, Ontario, Canada.[1] They began play in the Northern Junior D Hockey League and eventually moved up to the Western Junior C Hockey League[2] where they played until the 2016-17 season when the league became part of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) as the Pollock Division.

History[edit]

Ironmen goalie during 2014 Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs.
Ironmen player during 2014 Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs.

Founded in 1973, the Ironmen started out in Northern Junior D Hockey League where they played for six seasons.[3] After some success at the Junior D level, the Ironmen joined the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1979.[1]

In 1980, the league changed its name to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League to reflect the centralization of the league in Grey-Bruce counties region.[1] The Ironmen won the league playoffs that year and advanced to the Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs for the first time. Unfortunately, the Ironmen lost to the eventual finalist Essex 73's 4 games-to-1.

After two poor seasons, the Ironmen stormed back to the top of the standings winning the league and advancing to the Schmalz Cup playoffs yet again in 1984. However, the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League's Dresden Kings overwhelmed the Ironmen in four straight games to advance to the semi-finals.

In 1988, the Ironmen had a strong season by finishing second in the regular season standings and advancing to the playoff finals, However, the Ironmen did not participate in league play the following 1989-90 season.

In 2003-04, the Ironmen won the Western league title and went on to compete in the All-Ontario Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs. In the quarter-final round, the Ironmen defeated the Stayner Siskens of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in a hard fought seven game series. Waiting for them in the semi-finals were the Dresden Kings but the Ironmen were ready. Wingham made quick work of Dresden emerging with a 4-games-to-1 series win. In the finals, their competition was the Niagara Junior C Hockey League's Grimsby Peach Kings who swept the Ironmen to win the provincial title.[4]

The 2004-05 season saw the Ironmen take first place in the league. In the league semi-final, the played against the fourth seeded Goderich Sailors and defeated them 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen drew their most common foe, the Kincardine Bulldogs. In a hard fought battle, the Ironmen found themselves down 3-games-to-2 to the Bulldogs. In Game 6, the Ironmen came to play and defeating the Bulldogs 5-1. The decisive Game 7 ended with a 4-2 victory for Wingham. As Western league champions, the Ironmen found themselves competing for the Schmalz Cup again. In the provincial quarter-final, the Ironmen drew the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League's Erin Shamrocks. The Ironmen defeated them 4-games-to-2. In the semi-finals, the Ironmen drew the challenging Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League's Essex 73's. The 73's were too much for the Ironmen to handle and they swept Wingham 4-games-to-none.[5]

In 2005-06, the Ironmen finished in first place again. They received a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen were up against the Walkerton Hawks, whom they swept 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen mixed it up with the Kincardine Bulldogs but were eliminated 4-games-to-1.[5]

The 2006-07 regular season ended with the Ironmen in second place. They again had a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen ran into the Walkerton Hawks squad who defeated the Ironmen, 4-games-to-none.[5]

Season-by-season standings[edit]

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1973-74 27 15 9 3 161 107 33 3rd NJDHL Group Champions
1974-75 28 18 6 4 - 196 114 40 3rd NJDHL Won semi-final, 4-3 (Bears)
Lost final, 0-4 (Eagles)
1975-76 28 20 5 3 171 93 43 1st NJDHL Group Champions
1976-77 24 13 7 4 167 100 30 3rd NJDHL
1977-78 24 19 5 0 155 69 38 1st Jr D Grp #6 Group Champions
1978-79 1st Jr D Grp #6 Group Champions
1979-80 29 17 10 2 - 172 117 36 4th CJCHL West
1980-81 30 18 8 4 - 154 182 40 2nd GBJCHL Won league, lost CSC QF
1981-82 30 7 23 0 - 99 177 14 6th GBJCHL
1982-83 30 6 20 4 - 119 170 16 6th GBJCHL
1983-84 30 19 8 3 - 187 123 41 1st GBJCHL Won league, lost CSC QF
1984-85 30 14 12 4 - 152 153 32 2nd GBJCHL
1985-86 30 2 26 2 - 126 241 4 6th GBJCHL
1986-87 24 9 11 4 - 120 150 22 3rd GBJCHL
1987-88 30 13 14 3 - 167 171 29 3rd GBJCHL
1988-89 30 20 6 4 - 229 138 44 2nd WJCHL
1989-90 Did not participate
1990-91 30 12 14 4 - 126 149 28 4th WJCHL
1991-92 29 7 18 4 - 129 173 18 6th WJCHL
1992-93 30 17 9 4 - 180 141 38 3rd WJCHL
1993-94 31 18 7 6 - -- -- 42 2nd WJCHL
1994-95 30 13 12 5 - 152 135 31 5th WJCHL
1995-96 29 14 11 4 - 162 120 32 4th WJCHL
1996-97 30 16 9 5 - 152 107 37 2nd WJCHL
1997-98 35 27 7 1 - 164 87 55 2nd WJCHL
1998-99 35 28 6 1 - 154 78 57 2nd WJCHL
1999-00* 35 23 10 2 - 182 94 48 2nd WJCHL
2000-01 39 8 29 2 - 100 199 18 5th WJCHL
2001-02 35 21 11 3 - 152 118 45 3rd WJCHL
2002-03 35 21 11 - 3 151 117 45 4th WJCHL
2003-04 34 25 5 4 0 177 99 54 1st WJCHL Won league, lost CSC final
2004-05 40 30 4 4 2 193 101 66 1st WJCHL Won league, lost CSC semi-final
2005-06 40 32 5 2 1 237 97 67 1st WJCHL Lost final
2006-07 40 29 8 0 3 204 135 61 2nd WJCHL Lost semi-final
2007-08 40 19 15 - 6 196 177 44 4th WJCHL
2008-09 36 19 15 - 2 141 115 40 4th WJCHL
2009-10 36 16 14 - 6 105 126 38 5th WJCHL Lost quarter-final
2010-11 36 26 9 - 1 196 148 53 2nd WJCHL Lost semi-final
2011-12 36 19 13 - 4 152 119 42 4th WJCHL Lost semi-final
2012-13 36 22 14 - 0 194 142 44 4th WJCHL Lost quarter-final
2013-14 35 26 6 - 3 184 125 55 1st WJCHL Won league
Lost CSC semi-final
2014-15 36 29 7 0 - 171 94 58 1st WJCHL Won, Semi - 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Lost, League Final - 3-4(W Hawks)
2015-16 36 16 19 1 - 130 128 33 5th of 7 WJCHL Lost quarters-final, 2-4 (M Hawks)
2016-17 36 11 22 3 - 87 140 25 6th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Patriots)
2017-18 40 22 14 1 3 158 150 48 5th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (M Hawks)
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Patriots)
2018-19 42 31 8 2 1 202 119 65 2nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Flyers)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-0 (Bulldogs)
Lost Div Final, 2-4 (Patriots)
2019-20 42 28 9 0 3 171 107 61 2nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (W Hawks)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-1 (Bulldogs)
no decision Div Final, 1-1 (Patriots)
Playoffs cancelled due to covid
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 32 16 14 1 1 90 77 34 5th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Barons)
2022-23 42 26 13 2 1 146 109 55 4th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Bulldogs
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Patriots)
)
2023-24 42 17 21 3 1 102 118 38 6th of 8
Pollock Div-PJHL
lost Div Quarters, 3-4 (Bulldogs)

(*) The 1999-00 Season was altered drastically due to the folding of the Lakeshore Pirates. As a disproportionate number of games had been played by each team against Lakeshore, all history of these games were erased.[6]

Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances[edit]

2004: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Wingham Ironmen 4-games-to-none[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Wingham Ironmen
  2. ^ Western C Teams | Western Junior C Hockey League | Junior C | Leagues | Ontario Hockey Association
  3. ^ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports section, February 1976
  4. ^ a b Ontario Hockey Association 2006-2007 Constitution, Regulations and Rules of Competition by The Ontario Hockey Association (2006)
  5. ^ a b c d Home | Ontario Hockey Association
  6. ^ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section, November 1999.
  7. ^ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section final standings
  8. ^ London Free Press Sports Section final standings
  9. ^ Mount Forest Confederate Sports Section final standings
  10. ^ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section for Goal totals

External links[edit]