- Cincinnati Swords
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Cincinnati Swords 
City Cincinnati, Ohio League American Hockey League Operated 1971–1974 Home arena Cincinnati Gardens Colors navy and yellow Affiliates Buffalo Sabres Championships Regular season titles one (1972–73) Division Championships one (1972–73) Calder Cups one (1972–73) The Cincinnati Swords are a defunct American Hockey League team, founded in 1971, when the newly created NHL expansion team, Buffalo Sabres, exercised their option to create their own AHL farm team to replace the team they forced out of the AHL, the Buffalo Bisons. Originally the Sabres wished to place the team in Florida but this was voted down by the AHL, so the Sabres instead put the franchise in Cincinnati. Although they were only in existence of three years, the Cincinnati Swords were immensely popular with their fan base.
In their first season, they would qualify for the playoffs. After a sweep over the Hershey Bears, the Swords would lose to the Baltimore Clippers 4-2. The 1972–73 season would not be a disappointing one, however. The Swords would change the record books (up to that point). These would include most points in a season (113), most wins in a season (54), most homes wins (32), most road wins (22), most points at home (65), and most points in road games (48). They outscored opponents 351-206. After a sweep over the Richmond Robins and a 4-2 series win over the Virginia Wings in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, the Cincinnati Swords would become Calder Cup champions after defeating the previous Calder Cup champions, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, 4-1.
The third season would the final season for the Swords. They qualified for the playoffs, but would lose to the Calder Cup champions later that year, Hershey Bears, 4-1.
In 1974, Cincinnati was granted an expansion franchise in the World Hockey Association (the Cincinnati Stingers) to begin play in 1975-76. The Sabres then elected to fold the Swords after the 1973-74 season.
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Goals
forGoals
againstStanding 1971–72 76 30 28 18 78 252 258 3rd, West 1972–73 76 54 17 5 113 351 206 1st, West 1973–74 76 40 25 11 91 273 233 3rd, South Playoffs
Season 1st round 2nd round Finals 1971–72 W, 4-0, Hershey L, 2-4, Baltimore — 1972–73 W, 4-0, Richmond W, 4-2, Virginia W, 4-1, Nova Scotia 1973–74 L, 1-4, Hershey — — Categories:- Defunct American Hockey League teams
- Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States
- Sports clubs established in 1971
- Sports clubs disestablished in 1974
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