Waterloo Warriors men's ice hockey

Last updated
Waterloo Warriors men's ice hockey
Waterloo warriors wmark.svg
University University of Waterloo
Conference OUA
OUA West Division
Head coachBrian Bourque
Since 2006–07 season
Assistant coachesKyle Sonnenburg
Graeme Swan
Matt McGahey
Mike Moffat
ArenaCIF Arena
Waterloo, Ontario
ColorsBlack and Gold
   
U Sports tournament champions
1974
U Sports tournament appearances
1974, 1991, 1996, 2013
Conference tournament champions
1974, 1996
Conference regular season champions
1971, 1975, 1991, 1996, 2007

The Waterloo Warriors men's ice hockey team is an active ice hockey program representing the Waterloo Warriors athletic department of the University of Waterloo. The team originally played as an intermediate program but transition to the senior level in 1961, where it had remained ever since. [1]

Contents

History

It's unclear exactly when Waterloo played its first ice hockey game but the men's program was one of five founding members of the Ontario Intercollegiate Athletic Association ice hockey conference in 1958. Three years later, Waterloo, along with McMaster, Ontario Agricultural (now known as Guelph) all promoted their teams to senior hockey and joined the Quebec–Ontario Athletic Association. [2] For the first few years, Waterloo finished at or near the bottom of the standings but the program experienced a dramatic turnaround in 1966 when they posted their first winning season. The next year, the Warriors finished second in the conference and made its first postseason appearance as well. Waterloo had swiftly turned itself into a major player in the conference but they could not overcome the dominant power of the time, Toronto, and finished as league runners-up four years in a row. [3] Waterloo looked poised to finally get over the hump in 1971 when they won their first regular season championship but the Warriors proceeded to lose their semifinal match and squander their opportunity.

In 1971, the four extant conferences that shared teams in Quebec and Ontario were broken up and rearranged into two provincial leagues. Waterloo now found itself with twice as many conference opponents and had a difficult time adjusting in the first season. Fortunately, the Warriors soon resolved their issues and returned to being a top team in 1973. The very next year, Waterloo won its first league championship and made its first University Cup appearance. The Warriors downed Calgary in straight sets to advance to the championship game and got into a close battle with Sir George Williams. Waterloo had to come back from a 2–4 deficit in the third to force overtime and then scored twice in the extra session (sudden-death rules were not in effect) to secure a 6–5 victory to win the National Championship. [4]

Waterloo's championship defense was ended the following year thanks to Toronto. Afterwards, the team slipped from their perch and began to yo-yo up and down the standings. The nadir came in 1983 with the program's worst season but it seemed to spark a resurgence in the Warriors and the club soon regained some consistency. Through the late 80's Waterloo was able to make the playoffs every year, finally winning a round in 1990 before managing to earn a second trip to the national tournament in 1991. The team sagged slightly over the succeeding few years but came roaring back in 1996, winning their first conference championship since 1974 and making their second championship game appearance. Unfortunately, the team was unable to recapture the same magic they had in 1974 and fell to Acadia 2–3. [5]

After their second run to the title game, Waterloo slowly tumbled down the standings and eventually bottomed out in the early 21st century. Again, after hitting rock-bottom, the team rebounded and eventually climbed back to the top of the heap in 2007. However, playoff success eluded the Warriors. By the 2010s, Waterloo had slipped back to being a middling team but they still had some gas left in the tank. In 2013, the Warriors went on a run in the postseason, defeating three higher-seeded teams en route to a runner-up finish and a trip to the national tournament. Despite being heavy underdogs, Waterloo beat Canada West champion Alberta before the clock struck 12 on their Cinderella season. The surprising appearance turned out to be a one-off for the Warriors and over the next decade, the team sank to the bottom of the conference standings.

Season-by-season results

Senior collegiate play

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%
1961–62 QOAA 1229158th12291.208
1962–63QOAA123817T–6th12381.292
1963–64QOAA12111027th121110.083
1964–65QOAA1621137T–7th162113.219
1965–66QOAA161132243rd161132.750
1966–67QOAA161132243rd181242.722Won Semifinal, 6–2 (Western Ontario)
Lost Championship, 4–9 (Toronto)
1967–68QOAA161420282nd181530.833Won Semifinal, 6–5 (McMaster)
Lost Championship, 1–8 (Toronto)
1968–69QOAA151131234th171241.735Won Semifinal, 4–2 (Laval)
Lost Championship, 0–4 (Toronto)
1969–70QOAA151032222nd171142.706Won Semifinal, 7–3 (Ottawa)
Lost Championship, 4–7 (Toronto)
1970–71QOAA151221251st161231.781Lost Semifinal, 3–8 (Queen's)
1971–72 OUAA 1971021610th197102.421
1972–73OUAA171052224th191162.632Won Quarterfinal, 7–0 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal, 2–13 (Toronto)
1973–74OUAA171223273rd231823.848Won Quarterfinal, 8–6 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 8–4 (York)
Won Championship, 6–4 (Western Ontario)
Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Calgary)
Won Championship, 6–5 (OT) (Sir George Williams)
1974–75OUAA171421291st191531.816Won Quarterfinal, 9–6 (McMaster)
Lost Semifinal, 3–9 (Toronto)
1975–76OUAA209101199th209101.475
1976–77OUAA20992207th221084.545Lost Quarterfinal, 5–10 (Guelph)
1977–78OUAA2071121611th207112.400
1978–79OUAA16475139th16475.406
1979–80OUAA221075256th????? results unavailable
1980–81OUAA224171910th224171.205
1981–82OUAA22713216T–9th227132.364
1982–83OUAA242211513th242211.104
1983–84OUAA2410113237th2410113.479
1984–85OUAA2461801212th246180.250
1985–86OUAA2411112246th2511122.480Lost Quarterfinal, 3–4 (Western Ontario)
1986–87OUAA241644.750T–3rd261664.692Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1987–88OUAA261466345th281486.607Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
1988–89OUAA26158333T–4th2916103.603Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (York)
1989–90OUAA221741352nd271971.722Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Windsor)
Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1990–91OUAA221822381st302262.767Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Guelph)
Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Semifinal, 4–5 (Alberta)
1991–92OUAA221660323rd251780.680Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Guelph)
1992–93OUAA221453315th291883.672Won First Round, 8–4 (Western Ontario)
Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Guelph)
1993–94OUAA2412102268th2512112.520Lost Division Semifinal, 2–5 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1994–95OUAA241392286th2714112.556Won Division Semifinal, 6–5 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
1995–96OUAA26215032T–1st322660.813Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Windsor)
Won Semifinal, 4–1 (Laurentian)
Won Championship, 5–1 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Calgary)
Lost Championship, 2–3 (Acadia)
1996–97OUAA261880433rd2818100.692Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
1997–98OUA261574344th3217114.594Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Western Ontario)
Lost Division Final series, 0–3 (Windsor)
1998–99OUA261187297th3113117.532Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Windsor)
1999–00OUA26916119T–13th269161.365
2000–01OUA241572324th2917102.621Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Windsor)
2001–02OUA243201716th243201.146
2002–03OUA241221316th241221.063
2003–04OUA24814021813th268180.308Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2004–05OUA241383029T–7th3016113.583Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Western Ontario)
2005–06OUA2415630174th301893.650Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
2006–07OUA282142145T–1st332382.727Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Western Ontario)
Division Final series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
2007–08OUA28181000366th3119120.613Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
2008–09OUA2818703394th301893.650Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2009–10OUA2820701414th312191.694Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Windsor)
2010–11OUA2815120131T–10th3318141.561Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Western Ontario)
2011–12OUA2815931347th3015141.517Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Brock)
2012–13OUA281211052912th3719135.581Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Western Ontario)
Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Windsor)
Lost Queen's Cup Final, 1–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round–Robin, 2–1 (Alberta), 1–5 (Saint Mary's)
2013–14OUA2812122228T–12th2812142.464
2014–15OUA2717811356th3018111.617Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Guelph)
2015–16OUA2816111033T–8th3016140.533Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Ryerson)
2016–17OUA2812124028T–13th3113180.419Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Ryerson)
2017–18OUA289153122T–16th289181.339
2018–19OUA2810134125T–16th2810171.375
2019–20OUA281115202416th2811170.393
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22OUA168800.500T–12th164102.313Won Division Quarterfinal, 4–1 (Toronto)
Lost Lost Division Semifinal, 3–4 (OT) (Ryerson)
2022–23OUA27618121518th276192.259
2023–24OUA28419411318th284231.161
TotalsGPWLT/SOL %Championships
Regular Season1389674595110.5294 Far West Division Titles, 1 West Division Titles, 1 West Division Titles, 1 QOAA Championships, 3 OUAA Championships, 1 OUA Championships
Conference Post-season11454700.4352 OUAA Championships
U Sports Postseason7430.5714 National Tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record1510732668110.5211 National Championship

Note: Totals include senior collegiate play only except for 1979–80.

See also

References

  1. "Men's Hockey All-Time Awards". Waterloo Warriors. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  2. "Past Champions". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  3. "All-Time Game Results" (PDF). Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  4. "Men's Hockey - #2 all-time varsity moment". Waterloo Warriors. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  5. "1995-1996 Men's Hockey Team". Acadia Axemen. Retrieved September 25, 2024.