- New Mexico Scorpions
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New Mexico Scorpions 
City Rio Rancho, New Mexico League Central Hockey League Conference Southern Conference Division Southwest Division Founded 1953 Home arena Santa Ana Star Center Colors Red, Black, Gold Franchise history 1996-2009 New Mexico Scorpions Championships Regular season titles 1 (1996) Division Championships 1 (2007) Conference Championships None Ray Miron President's Cup None The New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League (CHL) team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1953 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL. In July 2009, the Scorpions ceased operations.[1]
The Scorpions' home arena during their WPHL and early CHL days was the Tingley Coliseum[2] in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team suspended operations for the 2005-06 season, then moved to the new Santa Ana Star Center, in the neighbouring city of Rio Rancho, for the 2006-07 season.
The Scorpions finished at the top of the WPHL standings for their initial 1996-97 season, winning the inaugural Governor's Cup as regular season champion. The team had limited success in playoff/championship play. They made it to the WPHL championship finals in the 1999-00 season, losing to the Shreveport Mudbugs in six games. In the 2006-07 CHL season, the Scorpions won the Southwest Division playoffs, then lost the Southern Conference Championship series to the Laredo Bucks.
The Scorpions' mascot is named Stanley.
The owners included former National Hockey League players Dave Ellett and Brian Savage. The team's last coach was Randy Murphy.
References
- ^ "Scorpions cease operations". http://oursportscentral.com. July 2, 2009. http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3855532. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
- ^ Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd.. pp. xi. ISBN 1894974212.
External links
- New Mexico Scorpions (defunct)
Central Hockey League Turner Conference Bloomington Blaze · Dayton Gems · Evansville IceMen · Fort Wayne Komets · Missouri Mavericks · Quad City Mallards · Rapid City RushBerry Conference Allen Americans · Arizona Sundogs · Laredo Bucks · Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees · Texas Brahmas · Tulsa Oilers · Wichita ThunderSports teams based in New Mexico Baseball 
Football Hockey Roller derby College athletics (NCAA Division I) Categories:- Central Hockey League teams
- Ice hockey teams in New Mexico
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico
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