The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982.

Both teams were owned by the Emms Family, and were relocated to Niagara Falls from another city. The Niagara Falls Memorial Arena was home ice to both teams.

History

The first Flyers team relocated to Niagara Falls from Barrie in 1960. The team was affiliated with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers appeared in three Memorial Cups in the 1960s, winning in 1965 and 1968. Both versions of the Flyers played home games at Niagara Falls Memorial Arena from 1960 to 1972, and again from 1976 to 1982. The arena hosted Memorial Cup games in 1968.

1963 Memorial Cup Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons for the OHA championship, and the Espanola Eagles to win the George Richardson Memorial Trophy as eastern Canadian representatives.

The Flyers were runners up to the Memorial Cup in 1963 played at Edmonton's Arena Gardens. They lost in six games to the Edmonton Oil Kings in a best-of-seven series. Flyers players Dornhoefer and Harmer both suffered broken legs while on the ice.

1965 Memorial Cup Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the defending champions Toronto Marlboros for the OHA championship. The Memorial Cup in 1965 was again played at Edmonton's Arena Gardens. They defeated the Oil Kings 4 games to 1 in a best-of-seven rematch series from two years previous. The series was filled with brawls and suspensions, as well as a heavy police presence throughout.

1968 Memorial Cup Niagara Falls won the right to play for the Cup by defeating the Kitchener Rangers for the OHA championship, and the Verdun Maple Leafs for the eastern championship.

The 1968 Memorial Cup featured two Boston Bruins farm teams playing one another. The Flyers would play the Estevan Bruins on home ice, except for game two at the Montreal Forum. Game 4 was the longest in Memorial Cup history, lasting into five periods. Niagara Falls defeated Estevan in a best-of-seven series in five games.

Second Flyers

The Emms Family sold the Flyers in 1972 after it played for 12 seasons. The new owners then relocated the team to Sudbury to become the Sudbury Wolves.

Later the same year, after selling the Flyers, the Emms family bought the St. Catharines Black Hawks team who were the OHA champions the previous year. Four years after buying the Black Hawks, the Emms family relocated them to Niagara Falls in 1976, taking the same name as the previous team. The Emms family later sold this version of the Flyers in 1978.

The second Flyers team played for 4 seasons in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1976 to 1980, and 2 years in the Ontario Hockey League from 1980 to 1982. The Flyers appeared in the OHA finals in 1979, losing to Peterborough. Niagara Falls lost its Flyers team a second time in 1982 when they moved to North Bay to become the Centennials, who have subsequently moved to Saginaw in 2002 to become the Saginaw Spirit.

Championships The Niagara Falls Flyers are one of a few clubs to win multiple Memorial Cup championships. Also of note, the franchise were repeat champions in different home cities, of Barrie and Niagara Falls. In total, the Flyers won the Memorial Cup twice in Niagara Falls, and twice in Barrie. and the J. Ross Robertson Cup 3 times each in Barrie and Niagara Falls. The Flyers finished first overall in 1963 & 1965 during the regular season to win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. The second Niagara Falls Flyers team won the western conference Emms Trophy in the 1978–79 playoffs.

Memorial Cup 1963 Lost to Edmonton Oil Kings 1965 Champions vs. Edmonton Oil Kings 1968 Champions vs. Estevan Bruins George Richardson Memorial Trophy 1963 Champions vs. Espanola Eagles 1965 Champions vs. Lachine Maroons 1968 Champions vs. Verdun Maple Leafs

J. Ross Robertson Cup 1963 Champions vs. Neil McNeil Maroons 1965 Champions vs. Toronto Marlboros 1968 Champions vs. Kitchener Rangers 1979 Lost to Peterborough Petes Hamilton Spectator Trophy 1962–63 (69pts) and 1964–65 (81pts) Emms Trophy 1978–79 (Western Conference)

Coaches The Flyers from 1960 to 1972 were coached by Hap Emms, Bill Long and Paul Emms. The Flyers coaches from 1976 to 1982 are listed below. 1976–78: Paul Emms (2) 1978–79: Bert Templeton (2) 1979–80: Barry Boughner, F.Stanfield 1980–81: Paul Gauthier 1981–82: Bert Templeton (2)

Players Award winners SeasonPlayerAwardRecognitionSource1962–63 Wayne Maxner Red Tilson Trophy Most outstanding player Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy OHA scoring champion 1963–64 Bernie Parent Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest team GAA 1964–65 1966–67 Derek Sanderson Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy OHA scoring champion 1967–68 Tom Webster Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy OHA scoring champion William Hanley Trophy Most sportsmanlike player 1976–77 Mike Gartner Emms Family Award OHA rookie of the year 1978–79 Nick Ricci F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy Lowest rookie GAA 1981–82 Ron Meighan Max Kaminsky Trophy Most outstanding defenceman

NHL alumni Ninety-one players from the Flyers played in the National Hockey League (NHL) or World Hockey Association. Two Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are Flyers alumni: Bernie Parent (1963–1965) and Mike Gartner (1976–1979).

1960 to 1972

Mike Amodeo John Arbour Steve Atkinson Don Awrey Jacques Blain Bob Boyd Brian Bradley Doug Brindley Tom Colley Terry Crisp Jim Dorey Gary Dornhoefer Tommy Earl Doug Favell George Gardner Jeannot Gilbert Bill Goldsworthy Larry Gould Gary Holt Randy Holt Mike Keeler Wayne King Bill Knibbs Don Lever Rick Ley Jim Lorentz Don Marcotte Gilles Marotte Wayne Maxner Don McCulloch Don McLean Brent Meeke Phil Myre Rosaire Paiement Wilf Paiement Bernie Parent J. P. Parisé Jean Pronovost Bob Ring Phil Roberto Wayne Rutledge Larry Sacharuk Derek Sanderson Ron Schock Jim Schoenfeld Brad Selwood Ted Snell Steve Stone Garry Swain Don Tannahill Dave Tataryn Morris Titanic Eric Vail Dave Walter Rob Walton Tom Webster Ed Westfall Barry Wilkins Butch Williams Dunc Wilson

1976 to 1982

Mark Botell Marty Dallman Mike Dwyer Jeff Eatough Daryl Evans Lou Franceschetti Ron Friest Bob Froese Mike Gartner John Gibson Paul Gillis Pat Graham Jim Jackson Bob LaForest Mark LaForest Steve Larmer Steve Ludzik Andrew McBain Kevin McClelland Scott McLellan Ron Meighan Mark Osborne Steve Peters Mark Renaud Nick Ricci Gerry Rioux Bill Root Andy Schliebener Howard Scruton Bill Stewart Tom Thornbury

Season-by-season results 1960–1972 Regular season and playoffs results:

Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Memorial Cup championsLeague championsLeague finalists

Season Regular season Playoffs Finish1960–61482221 5490.5101651664th OHALost quarterfinal (Guelph Royals) 10–41961–6250162311430.4301931934th OHAWon semifinal (Montreal Junior Canadiens) 4–2Lost OHA final (Hamilton Red Wings) 8–01962–63503112 7690.6902121461st OHAWon semifinal (Hamilton Red Wings) 8–2Won OHA final (Montreal Junior Canadiens) 8–0Won Ontario Junior A final (Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons) 4–2Won Eastern Canada playoffs (Espanola Eagles) 4–0Lost 1963 Memorial Cup (Edmonton Oil Kings) 4–2Lapp and Macaulay (1997), pp. 126–1291963–64562622 8600.5362071784th OHALost quarterfinal (Toronto Marlboros) 8–01964–65563611 9810.7232361681st OHAWon quarterfinal (Oshawa Generals) 8–4Bye through semifinalWon OHA final Toronto Marlboros 8–2Won Eastern Canada playoffs (Lachine Maroons) 3–1Won 1965 Memorial Cup (Edmonton Oil Kings) 4–1Lapp and Macaulay (1997), pp. 133–1371965–6648231510560.5832101623rd OHALost quarterfinal (Kitchener Rangers) 8–41966–6748231510560.5832381952nd OHAWon quarterfinal (London Nationals) 8–4Lost semifinal (Hamilton Red Wings) 8–61967–68543215 7710.6572551694th OHAWon quarterfinal (Peterborough Petes) 8–2Won semifinal Montreal Junior Canadiens 8–4Won OHA final Kitchener Rangers 9–7Won Eastern Canada playoffs (Verdun Maple Leafs) 3–2Won 1968 Memorial Cup (Estevan Bruins) 4–1Lapp and Macaulay (1997), pp. 144–1481968–69542824 2580.5372232294th OHAWon quarterfinal (Ottawa 67's) 9–5Lost semifinal (St. Catharines Black Hawks) 8–61969–70541041 3230.21315131310th OHADid not qualify1970–71621144 7290.23419335010th OHADid not qualify1971–72632727 9630.5002802936th OHALost quarterfinal (Oshawa Generals) 8–4

1976–1982 Regular season and playoffs results:

Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Memorial Cup championsLeague championsLeague finalists

Season Regular season Playoffs Finish1976–77 661545 6360.273254 3706th EmmsDid not qualify1977–78 68174110440.324261 3406th EmmsDid not qualify1978–79 684321 4900.662361 2431st EmmsWon quarterfinals (Kitchener Rangers) 8–6Won semifinal round-robin (Windsor Spitfires and London Knights)Lost OMJHL finals (Peterborough Petes) 8–61979–80 682939 0580.426325 3554th EmmsWon division quarterfinals (London Knights) 3–2Lost division semifinals (Windsor Spitfites) 4–11980–81 683036 2620.456354 3594th EmmsWon division quarterfinals (Toronto Marlboros) 3–2Lost division semifinals (Kitchener Rangers) 9–51981–82 683134 3650.478311 3384th EmmsLost division quarterfinals (Windsor Spitfires) 6–4

Notes

References

Sources