St. Francis Xavier X-Men ice hockey

Last updated
St. Francis Xavier X-Men ice hockey
St francis xmen hockey logo.png
University St. Francis Xavier University
Conference AUS
Head coachBrad Peddle
Since 2005–06 season
Arena Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre
Antigonish, Nova Scotia
ColorsBlue, White, and Silver
     
U Sports tournament champions
2004
U Sports tournament appearances
1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1976, 1978, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
Conference tournament champions
1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1968, 1976, 1978, 2004, 2016, 2017

The St. Francis Xavier X-Men ice hockey team is an ice hockey team representing the St. Francis Xavier X-Men athletics program of St. Francis Xavier University. The team is a member of the Atlantic University Sport conference and compete in U Sports. The team plays their home games at the Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. [1]

Contents

History

St. Francis Xavier formed its first varsity ice hockey team in 1905. That season the X-Men competed with other local colleges for the inaugural Hewson Cup, donated by E.E. Hewson. Rules stipulated that the first team to win the trophy three times would be allowed to keep the cup. SFX proceeded to win the title in the first three years of contention and lay permanent claim to the trophy. A second trophy was made, called the Sumner Cup, however, due to St. Francis being accused of knowingly using ineligible players (despite no governing body or official eligibility rules at the time) SFX was not included in competition for the second trophy. After returning from World War I, the animus against St. Francis had ebbed and the X-Men were one of the founding member of a new intercollegiate conference, the Maritime Intercollegiate Athletic Association. St. Francis Xavier swiftly became one of the league's best teams and won several championships in the interwar years. SFX left the MIAA sometime in the early 30s but the team was still invited to participate in the conference tournament each year. During this time, St. Francis also played in a local senior league and competed for the Allan Cup on multiple occasions.

During World War II, St. Francis was one of three teams who attempted to play for the duration but the program was eventually forced to suspend operations in 1944. It returned after a 1-season break and became the dominant force in the MIAA. The X-Men won every single conference tournament from 1950 to 1959 (The 1953 tournament was cancelled due to a bleacher collapse) and were by far the best team of the maritime colleges. In 1954, the MIAA teams ended their senior hockey play and focused solely on the college level. When the CIAU championship began in 1963, SFX was the first entrant from MIAA but the X-Men had trouble winning on the national stage. Despite making 6 appearance in the first 15 years of competition, St. Francis Xavier failed to make an appearance in the finals.

At the beginning of the 1980s, the fortunes of the program changed and the once-lofty X-Men became a middling team at best for most of the next 15 years. St. Francis Xavier did not regain its former status until the late 90s. Even then, it wasn't until 2004 that the team won another league championship, however, that year also saw St. Francis win its first national championship. [2] SFX has made several trips to the national tournament in the years since with their best finishes coming in 2016 and 2018 as runners-up (as of 2023).

Season-by-season results

Senior and collegiate play

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points

U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions
SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPts*FinishGPWLT%
Senior Hockey
1905–06Independent?????Hewson Cup Champion
1906–07Independent?????Hewson Cup Champion
1907–08Independent?????Hewson Cup Champion
1908–09Independent?????
1909–10Independent?????
1910–11Independent?????
1911–12Independent?????
1912–13Independent?????
1913–14Independent?????
1914–15Independent?????
Program suspended due to World War I
Senior and Intercollegiate Hockey
1919–20 MIAA ???????????Won Semifinal, ? (King's)
Lost Championship, 3–8 (Acadia)
1920–21MIAA21102T–3rd?????
1921–22MIAA???????????Lost Semifinal, 3–6 (Dalhousie)
1922–23MIAA202006th?????
1923–24MIAA330061st?????Won Championship , 6–2 (Acadia)
1924–25MIAA?????1st?????Lost Championship, 4–5 (New Brunswick)
1925–26MIAA300061st?????Won Semifinal, 2–0 (King's)
Won Championship, 3–2 (New Brunswick)
1926–27MIAA?????1st?????Won Championship , 1–0 (Mount Allison)
1927–28MIAA330061st?????Won Championship , 3–1 (New Brunswick)
1928–29MIAA22004T–1st?????Won Championship series , 10–5 (New Brunswick)
1929–30Independent???????????Won Quarterfinal, 3–2 (Acadia)
Lost Semifinal, 1–3 (Saint Mary's)
1930–31Independent???????????Won Quarterfinal, 5–1 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal, 3–2 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship, 0–1 (Mount Allison)
1931–32Independent???????????Won Quarterfinal, 5–3 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal, 4–1 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship, 0–3 (Mount Allison)
1932–33Independent???????????Lost MIAA Quarterfinal, 1–5 (Acadia)
1933–34Independent???????????Lost MIAA Quarterfinal, 3–4 (Acadia)
1934–35Independent???????????Won Quarterfinal series, 7–5 (Saint Mary's)
Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Acadia)
Lost Championship, 2–3 (Mount Allison)
1935–36Independent???????????Won MIAA Quarterfinal series, 11–4 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal, 9–3 (Saint Mary's)
Won Championship, 3–2 (New Brunswick)
1936–37Independent???????????Won MIAA Semifinal, 5–3 (Dalhousie)
Won Championship, 6–2 (Mount Allison)
1937–38Independent???????????Lost MIAA Semifinal, 4–5 (Acadia)
1938–39Independent???????????Lost MIAA Quarterfinal series, 4–5 (Acadia)
1939–40Independent???????????
1940–41MIAA32104??????Won Semifinal series, 11–10 (Saint Mary's)
Won Championship, 4–3 (New Brunswick)
1941–42MIAA???????????Lost Semifinals series, 9–10 (Saint Mary's)
1942–43MIAA???????????Won Championship series , 14–7 (Saint Mary's)
1943–44MIAA???????????Won Championship , 6–3 (Acadia)
Program suspended due to World War II
1945–46MIAA88001.0001st?????Won Championship , forfeit (St. Joseph's)
1946–47MIAA8710.8751st?????Lost Championship, 6–8 (Saint Dunstan's)
1947–48MIAA7520.714T–2nd?????Lost Semifinal, 5–6 (Acadia)
1948–49MIAA4220.5002nd?????
1949–50MIAA44001.0001st?????Won Championship series , 13–6 (New Brunswick)
1950–51MIAA33001.0001st?????Won Championship series , 13–8 (St. Thomas)
1951–52MIAA?????Won Championship series , 21–5 (New Brunswick)
1952–53MIAA00000?????Won Semifinal series, ? (Acadia)
no contest Championship series, cancelled (Mount Allison)
1953–54MIAA00000?????Won Quarterfinal series, 15–5 (Dalhousie)
Won Semifinal series, ? (Acadia)
Won Championship series, 6–3 (Mount Allison)
TotalsGPWLT %Championships
Regular Season ? ? ? ? ?13 MIAA Division Championships, 10 MIAA Championships
Conference Post-season ? ? ? ? ?3 Hewson Cups, 15 MIAA Championships
Regular Season and Postseason Record ? ? ? ? ?

Collegiate only

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
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%
1954–55 MIAA 12930182nd141130.786Won Championship series , 17–1 (Mount Allison)
1955–56MIAA880016T–1st1414001.000Won Quarterfinal series, 9–5 (Dalhousie)
Won Semifinal series, 20–4 (Acadia)
Won Championship series, 8–2 (Mount Allison)
1956–57MIAA860214T–2nd10271.250Won Quarterfinal series, 17–0 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal series, 5–4 (Dalhousie)
Won Championship series, 15–6 (New Brunswick)
1957–58MIAA880016T–1st141301.964Won Quarterfinal series, 22–2 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal series, 18–4 (Dalhousie)
Won Championship series, 10–8 (New Brunswick)
1958–59MIAA8521114th141022.786Won Quarterfinal series, 9–1 (Nova Scotia Tech)
Won Semifinal series, 7–4 (Dalhousie)
Won Championship series, 10–1 (St. Thomas)
1959–60MIAA8620122nd141301.964Won Quarterfinal series, 23–5 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal series, 12–8 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (New Brunswick)
1960–61MIAA8530102nd141040.714Won Quarterfinal series, 13–5 (Nova Scotia Tech)
Won Semifinal series, 13–3 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship series, 10–13 (St. Thomas)
1961–62MIAA7601131st141022.786Won Quarterfinal series, 9–8 (Nova Scotia Tech)
Won Semifinal series, 18–5 (Acadia)
Lost Championship series, 1–2 (New Brunswick)
1962–63MIAA12921192nd171241.735Won Championship series , 2–1 (New Brunswick)Lost Semifinal, 3–4 (McMaster)
Won Third Place Game, 4–7 (Sherbrooke)
1963–64MIAA12921233rd12921.792
1964–65MIAA11920182nd11920.818
1965–66MIAA141400281st161510.938Lost Semifinal, 4–6 (Toronto)
Won Third Place Game, 5–3 (Laurentian)
1966–67MIAA141310261st161420.875Lost Semifinal, 4–7 (Toronto)
Won Third Place Game, 6–3 (Sir George Williams)
1967–68MIAA161510301st201730.850Won Semifinal, 2–1 (New Brunswick)
Won Championship, 9–6 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Quarterfinal, 3–12 (Alberta)
Lost Consolation Semifinal, 1–9 (Toronto)
1968–69AIAA18981196th18981.528
1969–70AIAA181530302nd201640.800Won Semifinal, 8–1 (New Brunswick)
Lost Championship, 5–6 (Saint Mary's)
1970–71AIAA181440283rd191450.737Lost Semifinal, 6–7 (Dalhousie)
1971–72AIAA18512111T–9th185121.306
1972–73AIAA219120.4297th219120.429
1973–74AUAA211470.6673rd221480.636Lost Semifinal, 1–5 (Moncton)
1974–75AUAA181170225th181170.611Lost Semifinal, 1–5 (Moncton)
1975–76AUAA16124024T–2nd201550.750Won Semifinal, 9–4 (Mount Allison)
Won Championship, 7–5 (Moncton)
Won East Regional Semifinal, 4–1 (Laval)
Lost East Regional Final, 3–5 (Concordia)
1976–77AUAA201622341st241842.792Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Prince Edward Island)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Saint Mary's)
1977–78AUAA201343292nd291973.707Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Prince Edward Island)
Won Championship series, 3–2 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Group 1 Round-Robin, 5–0 (Regina), 3–7 (Alberta)
1978–79AUAA201091215th201091.525
1979–80AUAA2916121335th3318141.561Won Quarterfinal, 7–4 (New Brunswick)
Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Dalhousie)
1980–81AUAA2411130226th2411130.458
1981–82AUAA266173158th266173.288
1982–83AUAA247143178th247143.354
1983–84AUAA2410140207th2410140.417
1984–85AUAA2410131215th2410131.438
1985–86AUAA251690.6404th2716110.593Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Moncton)
1986–87AUAA2515100.6004th3017130.567Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Moncton)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Prince Edward Island)
1987–88AUAA26186238T–2nd291982.690Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Moncton)
1988–89AUAA264220810th264220.154
1989–90AUAA22911220T–6th249132.417Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Dalhousie)
1990–91AUAA2610124247th2911144.448Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Dalhousie)
1991–92AUAA269143217th289163.375Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
1992–93AUAA267190149th267190.269
1993–94AUAA2613112285th2813132.500Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
1994–95AUAA269161198th289181.339Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
1995–96AUAA2615110305th2815130.536Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Dalhousie)
1996–97AUAA281882383rd3119102.645Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Dalhousie)
1997–98AUAA2818821392nd3320112.636Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
1998–99AUS2614102030T–2nd3117122.581Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Dalhousie)
Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Acadia)
1999–00AUS26151105353rd2815130.536Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
2000–01AUS2817832391st3420113.632Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (New Brunswick)
Lost Championship series, 1–2 (St. Thomas)
Won Pool A Round-Robin, 5–2 (Western Ontario), 5–3 (Alberta)
Lost Championship, 4–5 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2001–02AUS2891063276th3110156.419Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Moncton)
2002–03AUS28141220303rd4021172.550Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Prince Edward Island)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Dalhousie)
Lost Championship series, 1–3 (New Brunswick)
Won Pool A Round-Robin, 3–2 (Alberta), 5–3 (York)
Lost Championship, 0–3 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2003–04AUS2819630411st372773.770Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (St. Thomas)
Won Championship series, 3–0 (Dalhousie)
Won Pool B Round-Robin, 5–0 (Dalhousie), 4–0 (York)
Won Championship, 3–2 (2OT) (New Brunswick)
2004–05AUS28111061295th3011136.467Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (New Brunswick)
2005–06AUS28131113306th3114161.468Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (New Brunswick)
2006–07AUS281693353rd3619170.528Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Acadia)
Lost Semifinal series, 1–3 (New Brunswick)
Lost Pool B Round-Robin, 3–4 (Wilfrid Laurier), 3–5 (Moncton)
2007–08AUS281212428T–4th3113180.419Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (St. Thomas)
2008–09AUS2815112324th3015150.500Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
2009–10AUS2811125275th3616200.444Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Prince Edward Island)
Won Semifinal series, 3–0 (New Brunswick)
Lost Championship series, 0–3 (Saint Mary's)
2010–11AUS2817101353rd4225170.595Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Dalhousie)
Won Semifinal series, 3–2 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship series, 2–3 (New Brunswick)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 1–2 (McGill), 3–1 (Alberta)
2011–12AUS2810144246th3111200.355Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Moncton)
2012–13AUS28161020344th3117140.548Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Prince Edward Island)
2013–14AUS28121321276th3012171.417Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Moncton)
2014–15AUS2817911364th3621141.597Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Prince Edward Island)
Lost Semifinal series, 2–3 (New Brunswick)
Lost Quarterfinal, 1–5 (Alberta)
2015–16AUS281864040T–2nd3725120.676Won Semifinal series, 3–1 (Saint Mary's)
Won Championship series, 2–0 (New Brunswick)
Won Quarterfinal, 6–2 (Alberta)
Won Semifinal, 3–2 (3OT) (Saskatchewan)
Lost Championship, 1–3 (New Brunswick)
2016–17AUS30161220343rd3522130.629Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Moncton)
Won Semifinal series, 3–0 (Acadia)
Won Championship series, 2–0 (New Brunswick)
Won Quarterfinal, 4–1 (McGill)
Lost Semifinal, 0–8 (Saskatchewan)
Lost Bronze Medal game, 3–7 (Acadia)
2017–18AUS3022413482nd4027103.713Won Semifinal series, 3–2 (Acadia)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (New Brunswick)
Won Quarterfinal, 6–2 (Brock)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (OT) (New Brunswick)
Lost Championship, 2–4 (Alberta)
2018–19AUS30151221333rd3322201.682Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Acadia)
Won Semifinal series, 3–2 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (New Brunswick)
Won Quarterfinal, 5–3 (Queen's)
Lost Semifinal, 1–9 (New Brunswick)
Won Bronze Medal game, 5–1 (Saskatchewan)
2019–20AUS30121314295th3212164.438Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Moncton)
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22AUS2417511362nd3322101.682Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship, 1–3 (New Brunswick)
Won Quarterfinal, 3–0 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 3–7 (Alberta)
Won Bronze Medal game, 3–2 (OT) (Ryerson)
2022–23AUS30161310334th3216160.500Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Acadia)
2023–24AUS30161310333rd3518170.514Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Acadia)
Lost Semifinal semifinal, 0–3 (Moncton)
TotalsGPWLT/SOL %Championships
Regular Season154584163074.5687 East Division Titles, 3 Kelly Division Titles, 6 MIAA Championships, 1 AUAA Championships, 2 AUS Championships
Conference Post-season207114903.5587 MIAA Championships, 2 AUAA Championships, 3 AUS Championships
U Sports Postseason4122190.53717 National tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record179397773977.5661 National Championship

Note: Totals include results from 1954–55 onward.

See also

St. Francis Xavier X-Women ice hockey

References

  1. "Keating Centre". St. Francis Xavier University. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  2. "StFX X-Men Hockey - National Championship History". St. Francis Xavier X-Men. Retrieved January 23, 2024.