Almaguin Spartans Explained

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Text Color:white
Team:Almaguin Spartans
Logosize:160px
City:Sundridge, Ontario, Canada
League:Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
Founded:2011
Arena:Sundridge Strong Joly (SSJ) Arena
Colours:Green, black, and white
Coach:Myles Pepin
Gm:David Forde
Name1:Mattawa Voyageurs
Dates1:2011–2014
Name2:Almaguin Spartans
Dates2:2014–present

The Almaguin Spartans are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in South River, Ontario. They play in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). They were originally the Mattawa Voyageurs of Mattawa, Ontario.

History

The Voyageurs were announced as a team in spring 2011.[1] On September 16, 2011, the team played its first game, at home, against the Bobcaygeon Bucks. The Voyageurs lost the game in a shootout 5–4. On September 18, at home again, the Voyageurs picked up their first win, 5–4 in overtime over the Algoma Avalanche.

In July 2014, the team was approved for relocation to South River, Ontario, where they became the Almaguin Spartans.[2]

In March 2015, Myles Pepin was promoted from assistant coach and was named the team's new head coach.

During the 2018 playoffs, the Spartans swept their first three playoff series with nine straight wins before losing two games to the St. George Ravens in the final series. The Spartans then claimed their first Russell Cup championship over the Ravens in six games.

For the 2019–20 season, Andre Laperriere was named the head coach when Pepin stepped aside for an advisory role to spend more time with family.[3]

Season-by-season records

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts Regular season finish Playoffs
Mattawa Voyageurs
2011–12 42 19 21 2 170 206 40 9th GMHL Lost Bye Round
2012–13 42 10 30 1 1 169 289 22 14th GMHL Lost Division Quarter-finals
2013–14 42 16 24 2 185 279 34 14th GMHL Lost Division Quarter-finals
Almaguin Spartans
2014–15 42 16 24 2 196 211 26 4th North Div.
13th GMHL
Lost Elimination Qualifier
2015–16 42 34 7 0 1 267 107 69 3rd North Div.
5th GMHL
Lost Championship play-in game
2016–17 42 23 15 0 3 164 154 49 6th of 10, North Div.
11th of 21, GMHL
Lost Division Quarter-finals
2017–18 42 31 11 0 0 217 145 62 1st of 9, North Div.
4th of 21, GMHL
Russell Cup Champions
2018–19 42 21 19 0 2 183 187 44 5th of 10, North Div.
10th of 22, GMHL
Lost Division Quarter-finals
2019–20 42 18 21 0 3 191 218 39 7th of 10, North Div.
16th of 23, GMHL
Lost Division Semi-finals
2020–21 Season Lost to COVID 19 pandemic
2021–22 38 7 28 0 3 94 177 17 10th of 10, North Div.
18th of 19, GMHL
Lost Play in Rd 0-1 (South Muskoka Shield)
2022–23 Spartans did not compete this season
2023–24 42 11 29 0 2 130 236 24 6th of 7, North Div.
13th of 15, GMHL
Lost Play in Game 4-5 (Le Becard de Senneterre)

Playoffs

Orangeville Americans defeated Mattawa Voyageurs 2-games-to-none in bye round

Temiscaming Titans defeated Mattawa Voyageurs 3-games-to-none in division quarter-finals

South Muskoka Shield defeated Mattawa Voyageurs 3-games-to-none in division quarter-finals

Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks defeated Almaguin Spartans 5–4 (OT) in the North Division Elimination Qualifier Game

Almaguin Spartans defeated Bracebridge Blues 3-games-to-1 in division quarter-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated Temiscaming Titans 3-games-to-1 in division semi-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated South Muskoka Shield 4-games-to-2 in division finals

Almaguin Spartans 1–3 in Russell Cup Round Robin (Lost 1–4 vs. Steam, Lost 1–5 vs. Kings, Lost 1–7 vs. Kings, Won 4–3 vs. Steam)

Tottenham Steam defeated Almaguin Spartans 7–2 in the Russell Cup Championship play-in game.

South Muskoka Shield defeated Almaguin Spartans 3-games-to-2 in division quarter-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated South Muskoka Shield 2-games-to-none in division quarter-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated Temiscaming Titans 3-games-to-none in division semi-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated Bradford Rattlers 4-games-to-none in division finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated St. George Ravens 4-games-to-2 in Russell Cup finals

New Tecumseth Civics defeated Almaguin Spartans 2-games-to-1 in division quarter-finals

Almaguin Spartans defeated Ville-Marie Pirates 2-games-to-1 in division quarter-finals

Temiscaming Titans defeated Almaguin Spartans 3-games-to-none in division semi-finals

References

  1. Web site: Spartans move to South River . NorthBayNipissing.com . July 30, 2014 . January 25, 2017.
  2. Web site: Junior A hockey franchise on its way to Sundridge . NorthBayNipissing.com . March 31, 2014.
  3. Web site: Almaguin Spartans Announce New Head Coach for 2019-2020 Season . GMHL . June 3, 2019.

External links