The Mount Royal Cougars men's ice hockey team is an ice hockey team representing the Mount Royal Cougars athletics program of Mount Royal University. The team is a member of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association conference and compete in U Sports. The Cougars play their home games at the Flames Community Arena in Calgary, Alberta.

History While operating as 'Mount Royal Junior College' in the 1950s, a team from the school competed in the Calgary Junior B Hockey League. Records from this time are spotty at best, however, in 1954 the Cougars won the league championship, eventually losing in the Alberta-British Columbia Junior B Championship to the Trail Smoke Eaters. The team disappears from league records after 1957. It's unclear whether or not the junior team was officially sanctioned by the school or if they were simply allowed to wear school colors.

In 1964, the Western Inter-College Conference (WICC) was formed for small schools in Western Canada who were looking for a way to field ice hockey teams. Mount Royal jumped at the chance, icing a varsity team for the inaugural year. Mount Royal won two league championships in the first five years, however, the school wasn't satisfied with their situation. In 1969, the Cougars left the WICC for the Highwood Hockey League. After winning the league title, they were again on the move and joined the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) in 1970. After getting knocked out in the semifinals, the Cougars won the regular season championship in 1972 but were ruled ineligible for the postseason as the team possessed overage players who did not qualify for the junior level. Instead, the team participated in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) postseason, the successor to the WICC. By winning the championship, the Cougars went on to the inaugural 4-West Championship, a tournament offered for the provincial college champions of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Mount Royal won the first three championships.

Since they were no longer eligible for the AJHL postseason, now Mount Royal College returned to the ACAC in 1972 and won back-to-back league titles. The team then suffered a severe decline and went winless for two seasons at the end of the decade. The terrible results caused the school to suspend the program for two years but the Cougars again failed to win a single game upon their return. By 1983, however, the team was on the road to recovery and Mount Royal rebuilt its program into a champion by the late-80s. Mount Royal won its first intermediate national championship in 1988 and then captured three over the span of four years around the turn of the century. Unfortunately, their final title in 2001 was the last intermediate championship held. Afterwards, the program was only able to win conference titles, which they did in both 2006 and 2011.

In 2012, by then known as 'Mount Royal University', the school transitioned to the senior level of college hockey and joined Canada West. It didn't take long for the team to grow accustomed to the higher level and they posted their first winning season in 2015. The Cougars were also able to advance in the postseason for the first time that year, however, that was where the program plateaued. As of 2024, Mount Royal had reached the conference semifinals seven times but has yet to make a championship round appearance. Additionally, they have finished as high as 3rd in the standing four times but never as one of the top two seeds.

Season-by-season results

Junior and intermediate hockey Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results Conference OverallGPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%1951–52?????????????? 1952–53?????????????? 1953–54AJBHL????????????? Won Championship series, 3–1 (Drumheller Miners) Lost Alberta-British Columbia Junior B Championship series, 0–2 (Trail Smoke Eaters)1954–55AJBHL????????????? Won Championship, 16–0 (Killarney) 1955–56?????????????? 1956–57CJBHL3416135––404th????? Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Calgary Tuxedo)Won Championship series, 3–2 (Calgary West Hillhurst) Program Suspended1964–65WICC????????????? Only exhibition games played 1965–66WICC??????? 1st????? 1966–67WICC????????????? 1967–68WICC12840––162nd12840 1968–69WICC191720––34 1st191720 School became 'Mount Royal College'1969–70HHL201451–– 1st201451 1970–71AJHL5025187––573rd5526227 Lost Semifinal series, 1–4 (Red Deer Rustlers) 1971–72AJHL5035130––70 1st5526227 Won Alberta Provincial Championship, ? (NAIT) Won 4-West Semifinal, 12–4 (Cariboo)Won 4-West Championship, 3–2 (Red River)1972–73ACAC242130––42 1st302730 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (NAIT)Won Championship series, 2–0 (Red Deer) Won 4-West Semifinal, 4–3 (Kelsey)Won 4-West Championship, 7–5 (Red River)1973–74ACAC241860––362nd302460 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (SAIT)Won Championship series, 2–0 (Red Deer) Won 4-West Semifinal, 4–2 (Cariboo)Won 4-West Championship, 5–3 (Red River)1974–75ACAC241941––393rd261961 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Red Deer) 1975–76ACAC251690––323rd2716110 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (NAIT) 1976–77ACAC241851––372nd292171 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (NAIT)Lost Championship series, 1–2 (Red Deer) 1977–78ACAC246171––135th246171 1978–79ACAC240240––05th240240 1979–80ACAC240240––05th240240 Program Suspended1982–83ACAC240240––05th240240 1983–84ACAC2512130––244th2712150 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (NAIT) 1984–85ACAC256190––125th256190 1985–86ACAC251780––342nd3019110 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Camrose Lutheran)Lost Championship series, 0–3 (NAIT) 1986–87ACAC2512112––264th2813132 Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (NAIT) 1987–88ACAC241482––462nd342392 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Camrose Lutheran)Won Championship series, 3–1 (Red Deer) Won Pool A Round-robin, 11–4 (Cariboo), 10–9 (Collège Français)Won Semifinal, 5–3 (Humber)Won Championship, 7–6 (2OT) (Collège Français)1988–89ACAC2410113––233rd2610133 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (NAIT) 1989–90ACAC2412111––252nd2612131 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Red Deer) 1990–91ACAC251690––323rd2716110 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (NAIT) 1991–92ACAC2513111––274th2813141 Lost Semifinal series, 0–3 (NAIT) 1992–93ACAC241851––37 1st302451 Won Semifinal series, 3–0 (Augustana)Won Championship series, 3–0 (Red Deer) 1993–94ACAC221750––34 1st302280 Won Semifinal series, 3–0 (Augustana)Lost Championship series, 2–3 (Red Deer) 1994–95ACAC251762––36 1st302172 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Red Deer)Won Championship series, 2–1 (NAIT) 1995–96ACAC221750––34 1st3222100 Won Semifinal series, 3–2 (Red Deer)Lost Championship series, 2–3 (NAIT) 1996–97ACAC221660––32 1st261790 Lost Semifinal series, 1–3 (NAIT) 1997–98ACAC241932––40 1st322642 Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Red Deer)Won Championship series, 2–0 (SAIT) Won Round-robin, 9–1 (Cambrian), 9–3 (Seneca)Won Championship, 4–3 (Cambrian)1998–99ACAC2818100––363rd4128130 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Augustana)Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (SAIT)Won Championship series, 3–2 (Red Deer) Won Round-robin, 12–4 (Cambrian), 6–2 (Conestoga)Won Championship, 6–0 (Conestoga)1999–00ACAC282071––412nd302091 Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (NAIT) 2000–01ACAC282251––45 1st363051 Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Red Deer)Won Championship series, 3–0 (NAIT) Won Round-robin, 12–1 (Sault), 14–1 (Conestoga)Won Championship, 16–1 (Conestoga)2001–02ACAC2814842–344th3115124 Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Augustana) 2002–03ACAC2814914–335th3014151 Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Concordia) 2003–04ACAC28101422–246th3110192 Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–3 (MacEwan) 2004–05ACAC2414802–304th3218140 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Alberta Augustana)Lost Semifinal series, 2–3 (SAIT) 2005–06ACAC2413902–282nd3419150 Won Semifinal series, 3–2 (Alberta Augustana)Won Championship series, 3–2 (SAIT) 2006–07ACAC2417610–352nd281891 Lost Semifinal series, 1–3 (NAIT) 2007–08ACAC2413803–294th2915140 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (NAIT)Lost Semifinal series, 0–3 (SAIT) 2008–09ACAC2820800–403rd4027130 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Briercrest)Won Semifinal series, 3–1 (NAIT)Lost Championship series, 2–3 (SAIT) School became 'Mount Royal University'2009–10ACAC2821520–322nd312182 Lost Semifinal series, 0–3 (Concordia) 2010–11ACAC2820800–403rd4028120 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Briercrest)Won Semifinal series, 3–1 (NAIT)Won Championship series, 3–2 (SAIT) 2011–12ACAC2822231–48 1st332463 Lost Semifinal series, 2–3 (NAIT) Totals GP W L T/SOL %ChampionshipsRegular Season ? ? ? ? ? 2 WICC Championships, 1 HHL Championship, 1 AJHL Championship, 9 ACAC ChampionshipsConference Post-season ? ? ? ? ? 2 AJBHL Championships, 1 CJBHL Championship, 10 ACAC ChampionshipsRegular Season and Postseason Record ? ? ? ? ? 3 4-West Championships, 4 CCAA Championships

Senior hockey Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results Conference OverallGPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%2012–13Canada West28719–20167th287210 2013–14Canada West281114–30255th3112190 Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Manitoba) 2014–15Canada West281710–01353rd3420131 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Saskatchewan)Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary) 2015–16Canada West28178–30373rd3219130 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (British Columbia)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta) 2016–17Canada West281511–20324th3217150 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Manitoba)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Saskatchewan) 2017–18Canada West281214–11266th3214171 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Manitoba)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta) 2018–19Canada West281211–50295th3214180 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (British Columbia)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta) 2019–20Canada West28188–02384th3119102 Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (British Columbia) 2020–21 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021–22Canada West20136–10273rd251690 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Regina)Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (British Columbia) 2022–23Canada West28195–40424th3120110 Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Saskatchewan) 2023–24Canada West28216–01433rd322381 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (MacEwan)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Calgary) Totals GP W L T/SOL %ChampionshipsRegular Season 300 162 133 5 Conference Post-season 40 19 21 0 U Sports Postseason 0 0 0 0 Regular Season and Postseason Record 340 181 154 5 Note: Games not counted towards University Cup appearances are not included.

See also Mount Royal Cougars women's ice hockey

References

External links