Casselman Vikings

The Casselman Vikings are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team in Casselman, Ontario. The Vikings play in the Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2 (CCHL2). Prior to 2015, their league was known as the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Ottawa District Hockey Association. The Vikings have won the Carson Trophy three times and were the 2014 Don Johnson Memorial Cup Eastern Canadian Jr. B Champions.

Casselman Vikings
CityCasselman, Ontario, Canada
LeagueCentral Canada Hockey League Tier 2
DivisionEast
Founded2008 (Jr. B)
1986 (Jr. C)
Home arenaComplexe J.R. Brisson
ColoursMaroon, black, white
     
General managerRaymond Lavergne
Head coachRaymond Lavergne
Franchise history
1986-1998Casselman Stars
1998-2000Casselman-Cambridge Stars
2000-2007Casselman Stars
2008-PresentCasselman Vikings

History

Founded in 1986, the Stars won the Cameron Trophy six times as the Ottawa District Hockey Association's top Junior C club. The first time was in 1989, and then again in 1993. In 1997, the Stars set up a dynasty: winning in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

The 2004-05 season was great for the Stars. After finishing first in the league with 28 wins in 36 games, the Stars defeated the Rockland Nationals 4-games-to-none in the league semi-final and then their rivals, the Embrun Panthers, 4-games-to-1 to win their sixth crown.

In the 2005-06 season, the Stars again finished in first place with 27 wins in 36 games. In the semi-final they defeated the Saint-Isidore Eagles 4-games-to-1 and then were upset by the Embrun Panthers in the final 4-games-to-3.

After a disappointing 2006-07 season, in which the Stars finished seventh place overall, they were swept 4-games-to-none in the league quarter-final by the East Ottawa Thunder.

In 2007, the Stars ownership attempted to fill the void left in the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League by the Junior "A" expansion of the Kemptville 73's. When the Casselman franchise could not be put together fast enough, the Stars program was suspended for the 2007-08 Eastern Junior C season.

The Casselman Stars were founded in 1986 as members of the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. In 2007, the ownership of the team pulled their membership out of the EOJCHL with the intention of joining the Junior B Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League. After sitting out a year, the group was awarded a Junior B franchise and changed the team's name to the Vikings. The league's Junior C spot was given to a new team called the Cumberland Bandits.

The Viking have won three Carson Trophies as EOJHL champions (2012, 2014 and 2015). On April 22, 2014, the Vikings became the first Ontario team to ever play at the Don Johnson Memorial Cup tournament, originally competed for by only Atlantic Canada teams.

2013-14 Championship season

The Vikings finished the 2013-14 regular season with the top record in the St. Lawrence Division, their conference, and the entire EOJHL with 35 wins, 2 losses, and 4 overtime losses. In their division semi-final, the Vikings swept the Akwesasne Wolves in four games and then beat the Winchester Hawks 4-games-to-1 to win the Division title.[1] The Vikings then defeated the Gananoque Islanders 4-games-to-1 to win the Rideau-St. Lawrence Conference championship.[2] The Vikings moved on to the Carson Trophy finals against the Metro-Valley Conference champion Ottawa West Golden Knights. Casselman quickly found themselves in trouble as the Golden Knights mounted a 3-games-to-1 lead, but the Vikings came back with 3-2 and 4-1 victories to force game seven. In Game 7, Taylor Widenmaier scored in the first to take an early lead, with Ottawa West tying the game in the second. With 37 seconds left in regulation, the Golden Knights scored a possible game-winning goal, but with only 14 seconds left Thierry Henry tied up the game forcing overtime. 1:18 into the second extra frame, Captain Joel Adam scored the game-winning goal to give the Vikings their second Carson Trophy as EOJHL champions.[3][4][5]

As of 2014, the hockey organizations of Atlantic Canada decided to allow a representative of Eastern Ontario into their Junior B championship tournament, the Don Johnson Memorial Cup. Since 1982, the "DoJo" has been exclusive to Atlantic Canadian provinces, but beginning in 2014 has rebranded itself the "Eastern Canadian Junior B Championship". By winning the Carson Trophy, the Vikings became the first team to gain entry to the championship from west of the Atlantic Region.[6] On April 22, the Vikings made this a reality by facing the Fredericton Jr. Caps of the New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. The Viking took their first ever DoJo game by a score of 6-1.[7] The next day, the Vikings took on the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League's champion Sackville Blazers and defeated them 7-5.[8] On the 24th, Casselman faced the Avalon Jr. Capitals of the St. John's Junior Hockey League and beat them 6-2.[9] In their final round robin game, the Vikings faced the host Strait Pirates but dispatched them with an 8-1 score.[10] With the round robin over, Taylor Widenmaier was named to the tournament's all-star team, Nicolas Brazeau was given the most sportsmanlike player award, and Maxime Choquette was named the tournament's most valuable player.[11] Widenmaier and Brazeau would lead the round robin in scoring (13 points each) and Gianmarco De Meis would lead all goalies with a 0.925 save percentage.[12]

With a perfect 4-0-0 record, the Vikings earned the first seed in the semi-final and faced fourth seed Fredericton again.[13] The Jr. Caps were ready for the Vikings this time and clogged up the middle, stymieing their high speed offence. The Jr. Caps had it tied up 1-1 going into the third, before the Viking popped three quick goals. The final score was 4-2 and Casselman was into the Final against Sackville (who just dispatched the defending champion Kensington Vipers in overtime).[14] In the final, Sackville opened up the score early in the first and held a 1-0 lead until the third period. Casselman stepped up the pressure in third period and responded with goals from Widenmaier and Luc Forget. With 1:22 to go in the third, Sackville tied the game to force overtime. At 6:18 into the overtime frame, Simon Cousineau popped in the game-winning goal to secure the Eastern Canadian Championship. Goalie Gianmarco De Meis was named the championship's most valuable player with 36 saves on 38 shots.

The Casselman Vikings finished the season with 57 wins and 11 losses, won their second Carson Trophy, and their first Don Johnson Memorial Cup. With this, they became the first team outside of the Atlantic Provinces to compete for a DoJo Championship, the first to win a game at the event, and the first to win the championship itself, all while keeping an undefeated 6-0-0 record.

Season-by-season results

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1986-873017103-157127372nd EOJCHL
1992-933016131-208179334th EOJCHLWon League
2000-0130181020155118383rd EOJCHLLost Quarter-final
2001-0236122211165208265th EOJCHLLost Quarter-final
2002-0336231003178128492nd EOJCHLLost Semi-final
2003-0436122013128165286th EOJCHLLost Quarter-final
2004-05362860218199581st EOJCHLWon League
2005-0636277-2194123561st EOJCHLLost Final
2006-07341418-2128148307th EOJCHLLost Semi-final
2007-08Did Not Participate
2008-094230921270180632nd of 5 St. Lawr Div
2nd of 10 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
2nd of 21 EOJBHL
Lost Div Semi-final, 4-3 (Rebels)
2009-104029722254107621st of 6 St. Lawr Div
2nd of 11 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
3rd of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-0 (Hawks)
Lost Div Final, 4-1 (Glens)
2010-114235511256117721st of 6 St. Lawr Div
2nd of 11 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
2nd of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-1 (Lions)
Lost Div Final, 4-2 (Hawks)
2011-124232802239118662nd of 6 St. Lawr Div
2nd of 12 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
3rd of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-0 (Glens)
Won Div Final, 4-2 (Hawks)
Won Conf Final, 4-3 (Aeros)
Won Carson Trophy Final, 4-1 (Mustangs)
2012-134231704230128661st of 6 St. Lawr Div
1st of 12 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
1st of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-0 (Hawks)
Won Div Final, 4-3 (Wolves)
Lost Conf Final, 4-2 (Aeros)
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
2013-14413522223196741st of 6 St. Lawr Div
1st of 11 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
1st of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-0 (Wolves)
Won Div Final, 4-1 (Hawks)
Won Conf Final, 4-0 (Islanders)
Won Carson Trophy Final, 4-3 (Golden Knights)
Won Don Johnson Memorial Cup (6-0-0)
2014-154034411233105701st of 6 St. Lawr Div
1st of 11 Rideau-St. Lawr Conf
1st of 22 EOJHL
Won Div Semi-final, 4-2 (Rebels)
Won Div Final, 4-1 (Hawks)
Won Conf Final, 4-0 (Flyers)
Won Carson Trophy Final, 4-2 (Stittsville)
2015-164440310266116811st of 8 Martin Div
1st of 16 CCHL2
Won Quarters 4-0, (Glens)
Won Semifinals, 4-0 (Golden Knights)
Won Barkley Cup Final, 4-1 (Blue Wings)
2016-174838822236130802nd of 8 Martin Div
3rd of 16 CCHL2
Won Quarters 4-3, (Jets)
Won Semifinals, 4-0 (Golden Knights)
Won Barkley Cup Final, 4-0 (Royals)
2017-1852401020289121821st of 8 Martin Div
1st of 16 CCHL2
Won Div Semifinals, 4-0 (Panthers)
Won Lea. Semifinals 4-3 (Blue Wings)
Won Barkley Cup Final 4-1 (Jr. Canadians)

Don Johnson Memorial Cup

Eastern Canada Jr B Championships

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemiFinalBr. Med. GameGold Medal Game
2014 W,Fredericton Caps 6-1
W, Sackville Blazers 7-5
W, Avalon Capitals 6-2
W, Strait Pirates 8-1
4-0-01st of 6W, 4-2
Fredericton Caps
n/aOTW, 3-2
Sackville Blazers
Don Johnson Cup
Champions

This was the only year the EOJHL was part of the Don Johnson Championships

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. http://www.insideottawavalley.com/sports-story/4483006-vikings-conquer-golden-knights/
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/1202641-blazers-pirates-lose-first-games-of-tourney
  9. http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/1202966-blazers-pick-up-second-win-at-eastern-junior-b-hockey-championship
  10. http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/1203268-arthur-hessian-lead-playoff-bound-blazers
  11. http://ecjbc.ca/news.php?news_id=932393
  12. http://ecjbc.ca/statistics.php?league_id=37685&schedule_id=206015
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2014-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/1203410-sackville-wins-in-ot-to-reach-don-johnson-cup-final
Preceded by
Kensington Vipers
Don Johnson Memorial Cup Champions
2014
Succeeded by
Moncton Jr. Vitos
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