Tillsonburg Thunder Explained

Team:Tillsonburg Thunder
Logosize:140px
City:Tillsonburg, Ontario
League:Western Ontario Super Hockey League - www.woshl.com
Colours:Black and Gold
Arena:Tillsonburg Community Centre
Coach:Dave Mclaren
Gm:Bill Ryan
Name1:Tillsonburg Vipers
Dates1:2001-2008
Name2:Tillsonburg Thunder
Dates2:2008-Pres

The 2014-2015 Champion Tillsonburg Thunder are a Senior ice hockey team based in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western Ontario Super Hockey League.

History

The Tillsonburg Vipers were founded in 2001 as a Senior "AAA" team in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.

In the 2003–04 season, the Vipers reached the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals, but lost to the Aylmer Blues 4-games-to-2.[1]

Tillsonburg's improved on their 2003-04 record in the 2005-06 season. After finishing the regular season in second place with 17 wins in 30 games, the Vipers knocked off the Cambridge Hornets 4-games-to-3 to make the league finals. In the league final, the Vipers fell to the Dundas Real McCoys 4-games-to-3.

The MLH fell apart in 2008, just after the Brantford Blast won the league's first ever Allan Cup. The team filled the gap when the disgruntled Cambridge Hornets left the MLH, the collegiate Windsor St. Clair Saints, walked away from the league. The Vipers decided it was their time to leave as well and applied to join the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League. The WOAA is an independent league with no connections to the Ontario Hockey Association. It classifies itself as Senior "AA", and allows for both a Senior "AA" and Senior "A" championship come playoff time. On May 14, 2008, the WOAA granted expansion to the Tillsonburg Vipers.[2]

The first ever Tillsonburg WOAA game took place on October 4, 2008, as the Thunder defeated the Goderich Pirates 6-5 in overtime in Tillsonburg. The Thunder had a successful first season in the WOAA, earning a record of 11-7-2, registering 24 points, and fifth place in the South Division. Tillsonburg would lose to the Clinton Radars in the "AA" qualifying round, being sent to the "A" playoffs. In the "A" quarter-finals, the Thunder were upset by the Exeter Mohawks in six games, ending their season.

Season-by-season standings

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
2001-02 32 6 23 2 1 128 241 15 5th SWSHL
2002-03 32 11 18 2 1 150 174 25 4th OHA Sr. ALost semi-final
2003-04 32 17 11 2 2 159 129 38 4th OHA Sr. ALost final
2004-05 32 16 15 0 1 141 129 34 4th MLH Lost semi-final
2005-06 30 17 9 0 4 135 129 38 2nd MLH Lost final
2006-07 30 14 12 - 4 149 146 32 4th MLH Lost semi-final
2007-08 30 11 17 - 2 108 147 24 4th MLH Lost semi-final
2008-09 20 11 7 - 2 100 84 24 5th WOAA South Lost "A" QF
2009-10 20 16 4 - 0 97 62 32 1st WOAA South Lost "AA" QF
2010-11 26 16 9 - 1 134 114 33 4th WOAA South
2011-12 24 16 7 - 1 130 95 33 2nd WOAA South
2012-13 24 14 6 - 4 127 96 32 4th WOAA South
2013-14 24 21 3 - 0 128 70 42 1st WOAA South Lost Div. Final
2014-15 24 18 5 - 0 152 92 37 1st WOAA South Won "AA" Championship
2015-16 24 9 12 - 3 95 137 21 5th WOAA South Won "A" Championship
2016-17 20 11 8 - 1 95 76 23 7th WOAA Sr Lost "AA" QF
2017-18 20 14 3 3 4th WOAA sr. Lost in AA semi
2018-19 22 11 11 0 0 100 104 22 9th WOAA South Lost "A" Semifinal[3]

References

  1. Web site: Senior Series. 2019. Ontario Hockey Association. February 4, 2021.
  2. Web site: (no title).
  3. Web site: 2018 - 2019 W.O.A.A. Senior Hockey Play-offs - "A" . Western Ontario Athletic Association . May 13, 2019.

External links