- Atlanta Knights
The Atlanta Knights were a
minor league professionalice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1992 to 1996. The Knights were based inAtlanta, Georgia , and played at theOmni Coliseum . The team became the Quebec Rafales from 1996 to 1998.History
The Atlanta Knights were an IHL expansion team in 1992 as the top farm team of the
NHL 'sTampa Bay Lightning . They won theTurner Cup in the 1993–94 season. The Knights featured the first professional African-American head coach inJohn Paris Jr. . The Knights were also one of the first professional teams to play a female goalie,Manon Rheaume , in a regular-season game.For the 1996–97 season, the Knights relocated due to the impending arrival of a
National Hockey League team in Atlanta (Atlanta Thrashers ), and the loss of The Omni as an arena. During their years in Atlanta, Rick Morgan was their full-time national anthem singer and encouraged the crowd to shout "KNIGHTS!" during the line, "Gave proof through the "KNIGHTS" that our flag was still there." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc3Jvf_lRqk] It is still customary to hear an emphasized, shouted "KNIGHTS!" during the national anthem at Thrashers games atPhilips Arena by spectators in honor of the team. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p12bHxPRJTk]Quebec Rafales
The Knights became the Quebec Rafales (French for "
wind s"), after relocating toQuebec City ,Quebec , and took residence at the Colisée de Québec. The team drew well in 1996–97 one year after the NHLQuebec Nordiques departed Quebec City forDenver, Colorado . The next year, after trading some of their best players, such as goaltenderStephane Beauregard , the team didn't reach the postseason. The owners did not realize the expected profit and folded the team after only two seasons in Quebec.External links
* [http://www.kendrick.org/knights AtlantaKnights.com]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=68 Atlanta Knights] statistics
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=861 Quebec Rafales] statistics
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
