- Niagara Falls Thunder
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Niagara Falls Thunder 
City Niagara Falls, Ontario League Ontario Hockey League Operated 1988–96 Home arena Niagara Falls Memorial Arena Colours Red, white and black Franchise history 1946–53 Windsor Spitfires 1953–60 Hamilton Tiger Cubs 1960–74 Hamilton Red Wings 1974–76 Hamilton Fincups 1976–77 St. Catharines Fincups 1977–78 Hamilton Fincups 1978–84 Brantford Alexanders 1984–88 Hamilton Steelhawks 1988–96 Niagara Falls Thunder 1996–present Erie Otters The Niagara Falls Thunder was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Contents
History
Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the Hamilton Steelhawks. The new team was named the Niagara Falls Thunder. The team filled the void left behind when the Niagara Falls Flyers departed for North Bay in 1982.
The Thunder picked up on the winning note of the Steelhawks' last season in Hamilton. Coach Bill LaForge returned with a strong core of players that lead the team to a second place finish in 1988–89. Niagara Falls reached the OHL finals the first year in their new home city, losing to the Peterborough Petes.
Many players graduated from the OHL after that season and the Thunder began to rebuild for 1989–90. Shortly into the season, growing tensions between team owner Rick Gay and coach Bill LaForge led to the coach being fired. LaForge was never forgiven by the fans for perhaps costing the team a chance of the Memorial Cup in 1989.
The Thunder hired the younger and up-and-coming Oshawa Generals' assistant coach George Burnett to take over. The team rallied from out fo the playoffs to 6th place. Niagara Falls continued its momentum into the third round of the playoffs knocking off the first place London Knights before losing to the Kitchener Rangers.
The Thunder finished the next two seasons in second place, and made it to the third round of the playoffs both years, a feat they managed four years in a row. Coach Burnett was voted Coach of the Year for 1990–91 and 1991–92. Both years their playoff nemesis, the Soo Greyhounds, eliminated them in the semi-finals.
Many players graduated in 1992 for professional careers, and Coach Burnett was promoted to the Cape Breton Oilers of the AHL. He won the Calder Cup with the team in 1992–93.
The team never regained its strength of the first four seasons. After three poor seasons on the ice from 1992–93 to 1994–95, game attendance was dropping. This, combined with rescheduling of Sunday games to Saturday nights, and an aging arena with no new arena deal in sight, resulted in the Thunder moving to Erie, Pennsylvania to play as the Otters.
Coaches
George Burnett was voted the OHL Coach of the Year in the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy in only his first and second full seasons as a head coach in the OHL.
- 1988–89 - Bill LaForge
- 1989–90 - B.LaForge, G.Burnett
- 1990–91 - George Burnett
- 1991–92 - George Burnett
- 1992–93 - Larry Marson
- 1993–94 - L.Marson, Randy Hall, C.Johnstone
- 1994–95 - Chris Johnstone
- 1995–96 - Chris Johnstone
Players
Award winners
- 1988–89 - Bryan Fogarty, CHL Player of the Year & CHL Defenceman of the Year Award; Red Tilson Trophy, Most Outstanding Player; Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, Scoring Champion; Max Kaminsky Trophy, Most Outstanding Defenceman
- 1988–89 - Stan Drulia, Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy, Top Scoring Right Winger, Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy, Overage Player of the Year
- 1989–90 - Keith Primeau, Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, Scoring Champion
- 1991–92 - Todd Simon, Red Tilson Trophy, Most Outstanding Player; Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, Scoring Champion
- 1991–92 - Manny Legace, OHL Goaltender of the Year
- 1993–94 - Ethan Moreau, Bobby Smith Trophy, Scholastic Player of the Year
NHL alumni
- Ethan Moreau
- Keith Osborne
- Jeff Paul
- Scott Pearson
- Keith Primeau
- John Purves
Yearly results
Regular season
Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Pct % Goals
forGoals
againstStanding 1988–89 66 41 23 2 84 0.636 410 319 2nd Emms 1989–90 66 23 39 4 50 0.379 278 355 6th Emms 1990–91 66 39 18 9 87 0.659 335 259 2nd Emms 1991–92 66 39 23 4 82 0.621 307 254 2nd Emms 1992–93 66 29 30 7 65 0.492 299 274 5th Emms 1993–94 66 21 41 4 46 0.348 277 352 8th Emms 1994–95 66 18 40 8 44 0.333 231 298 4th Central 1995–96 66 29 30 7 65 0.492 248 238 3rd Central Playoffs
Season 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Finals 1988-89 W, 4-0 Windsor Bye W, 4-3 London L 4-2 Peterborough
1990-91 W, 4-2 Kitchener W, 4-0 Windsor L 4-0 S.S. Marie — 1991-92 W, 4-3 Detroit W, 4-1 London L 4-1 S.S. Marie — 1992-93 L, 4-0 Owen Sound - - — 1994-95 L, 4-2 Owen Sound - - - 1995-96 W, 4-2 Owen Sound L, 4-0 Guelph - - Arena
The Niagara Falls Thunder played home games at Niagara Falls Memorial Arena from 1988 to 1996.
- Niagara Falls Memorial Arena - The OHL Arena & Travel Guide
Ontario Hockey League East Division Central Division Midwest Division West Division Defunct teams Brantford Alexanders · Cornwall Royals · Detroit Compuware Ambassadors · Detroit Junior Red Wings · Detroit Whalers · Guelph Platers · Hamilton Dukes · Hamilton Steelhawks · Kingston Canadians · Kingston Raiders · Mississauga IceDogs · Newmarket Royals · Niagara Falls Thunder · North Bay Centennials · Owen Sound Platers · Toronto Marlboros · Toronto St. Michael's MajorsCHL · Memorial Cup · J. Ross Robertson Cup · OHL history · OHL seasons · OHA standings · OHL Awards · CHL Awards · QMJHL · WHLCategories:- Defunct Ontario Hockey League teams
- Sport in Niagara Falls, Ontario
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