Western Mustangs men's ice hockey

Last updated

Western Mustangs men's ice hockey
Western mustangs wmark.png
University University of Western Ontario
Conference OUA
OUA West Division
First season1923–24
Head coachClarke Singer
20th season, 37212417 (.742)
Assistant coachesPatrick Ouellet
Dave Warren
ArenaThompson Arena
London, Ontario
ColorsPurple and White
   
Fight song "Western"
Mascot J.W. the Mustang
U Sports tournament champions
2002
U Sports tournament appearances
1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2020
Conference tournament champions
1995, 2005, 2009
Conference regular season champions
1987, 1989, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013

The Western Mustangs men's ice hockey team represents Western University (in full, The University of Western Ontario) in Canadian university competition. The Mustangs are members of Ontario University Athletics, one of the four regional associations within the national governing body of U Sports. The Mustangs play at Thompson Arena in London, Ontario.

Contents

The men's hockey team has won 3 OUA championships (1994–95, 2004–05, 2008–09) [1] and 1 U Sports championship (2001–02) [2]

Team history

Early history

In 1905, the first hockey club was established at the University of Western Ontario. [3] The sporting teams were organized by the two faculties at Western during this time, the Arts & Divinity faculty and the Medical "Meds" faculty. The teams practiced on ice rinks around London, as well as on the Thames river. By the 1913-14 season, hockey became the most popular sport on campus and a combined faculty team went on to represent Western in the Canadian Hockey Association championships, playing Berlin (now Kitchener, Ontario) in the final match. Western lost 6-4. [4]

Start of intercollegiate hockey

Western entered the intercollegiate competition in the 1923-24 season. [5] [4] This league comprised St. Michael’s College of Toronto, the Ontario Agricultural College and the University of Toronto. The team also played some exhibition games during 1920s, including a game against Princeton University in the 1926-27 season and one against the University of Michigan in the 1928-29 season. [4]

In the 1932-33 season, Western won its first Canadian Intermediate Intercollegiate Championship by beating the University of Ottawa in the finals 6-1. Hockey at Western proceeded into the 1930s but was suspended in 1941-44 due to World War II. [4] When the London Arena was not available for the 1936–37 season, J. Howard Crocker arranged to play home games in Brantford, and have practices an outdoor rink on campus. [6] After the war, the team kept competing in the Intermediate Intercollegiate league, as well as the senior London City League. [4]

The team continued until the mid 1950s. During this time, a lack of funding and ice time caused the team to be cancelled in 1955. The university did not have a rink at this time and there was little funding for intermediate teams.

Senior intercollegiate hockey and the OUA

In the 1964-65 season, Western joined the Ontario-Quebec Athletic Association. [4] This was due to large support from Bill L’Heureux over the years prior. During this season, L'Heureux acted as the coach and the team placed third in a ten-team league, finishing 4th in the playoffs. While attending Western, Brian Conacher played with the Mustangs during their first season. Ron Watson took over as coach in 1965 and coached the Mustangs for 20 seasons, leading the team to the playoffs 18 years out of his 20 year reign.

1980s–2000s

A Western vs. Queen's game in 2013 Western Mustangs men's hockey.jpg
A Western vs. Queen's game in 2013

After Ron Watson, Barry Martinelli took over in 1985. Mike Tomlak played for Western in the 1986-87 season. The team had medium success during this time, but it started to rise when Steve Rucchin joined the Mustangs from 1990 to 1994. [4] [7] Rucchin scored 24 points in his first year, 62 points in his second, and 48 points in his third. On this rising success, Western won the first league OUA title in the 1994-95 season. [8] Martinelli retired as coach in 1999, where the position was filled by the assistant coach at the time, Clarke Singer.

Clarke Singer is the current coach of the Western Mustangs and has been coaching the team since 1999. [9] He has brought the team to its only national championship in 2001.

Season-by-season results

[10]

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%
Junior Hockey
1914–15 OHA 43106T–1st?????Won Group 8 Final series, 17–13 (Woodstock)
Lost quarterfinal series, 5–7 (Berlin Union Jacks)
Program suspended due to World War I
Senior and Intercollegiate Hockey
1923–24Intermediate???????????
1924–25Intermediate???????????
1925–26Intermediate41213??????
1926–27Intermediate52215T–1st?????Lost Championship, 2–3 (Royal Military College)
1927–28Intermediate631282nd?????Lost Semifinal series, 5–8 (Toronto jr. varsity)
1928–29Intermediate???????????
OHA853010?Won OHA Group 11 Final series, 6–4 (Glencoe)
Lost OHA First Round series, 1–14 (Windsor)
1929–30Intermediate21013??????Lost Intermediate Western Final series, 8–9 (Toronto jr. varsity)
OHA91713?Lost OHA Section B Round-Robin, 3–4 (Ingersoll), 0–2 (Paris)
1930–31Intermediate / OHA41302??????
1931–32Intermediate53206??????
OHA631216 ?Lost OHA Group 11 series, 2–6 (Windsor)
1932–33Intermediate651110T–3rd?????Won Championship, 6–1 (Ottawa)
OHA43017 ?Lost OHA Section B series, 3–7 (Chatham Maroons)
1933–34OHA715112??????
1934–35OHA81704??????
1935–36OHA122737??????
Program suspended
1937–38Intermediate64208??????
1938–39Intermediate61502??????
TotalsGPWLT %Championships
Regular Season ? ? ? ? ?1 Intermediate Championship
Conference Post-season ? ? ? ? ?
Regular Season and Postseason Record ? ? ? ? ?

Note: In 1931 the OHA used the Intermediate results for its standings rather than holding a separate schedule.

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%
1964–65 QOAA 161141233rd171151.676Lost Semifinal, 4–6 (Montreal)
1965–66QOAA161222262nd161222.813
1966–67QOAA161060203rd171070.588Lost Semifinal, 2–6 (Waterloo)
1967–68QOAA16790185th16790.438
1968–69QOAA15771156th15771.500
1969–70QOAA15564147th15564.467
1970–71QOAA15483119th15483.367
1971–72OUAA191153253rd211263.643Won Western Semifinal, 5–2 (Windsor)
Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (Toronto)
1972–73OUAA171430282nd201640.800Won Western Semifinal, 7–1 (Windsor)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Laurentian)
Lost Championship, 1–8 (Toronto)
1973–74OUAA171340264th201550.750Won Quarterfinal, 4–1 (Guelph)
Won Semifinal, 6–4 (Toronto)
Lost Championship, 1–8 (Waterloo)
1974–75OUAA171142243rd191252.684Won Western Semifinal, 12–3 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (York)
1975–76OUAA20146026T–3rd211470.667Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (York)
1976–77OUAA2099220T–7th20992.500
1977–78OUAA201433313rd221543.750Won Quarterfinal, 9–4 (Windsor)
Lost Semifinal, 0–6 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1978–79OUAA16754186th18864.556Won Quarterfinal, ? (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Semifinal, ? (Guelph)
1979–80OUAA221192247th221192.545
1980–81OUAA221444322nd261664.692Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Toronto)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Queen's)
1981–82OUAA221291257th221291.568
1982–83OUAA242040402nd272160.778Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1983–84OUAA241581313rd3018111.617Won Quarterfinal, 9–4 (Queen's)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Toronto)
1984–85OUAA241572323rd301992.667Won Quarterfinal, 8–5 (Guelph)
Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Championship series, 1–2 (York)
1985–86OUAA241752364th271872.704Won Quarterfinal, 4–3 (Windsor)
Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1986–87OUAA242022.8751st342572.765Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Windsor)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Lost Championship series, 1–2 (York)
Lost Pool 1 Round-Robin, 2–5 (Saskatchewan), 1–3 (Prince Edward Island)
1987–88OUAA261745393rd342185.691Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Waterloo)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (York)
Won Semifinal, 3–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Championship, 1–5 (York)
Won Semifinal, 3–1 (Prince Edward Island)
Lost Championship, 3–5 (York)
1988–89OUAA26192543T–1st281945.768Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1989–90OUAA221192248th2411112.500Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1990–91OUAA22127327T–6th231283.587Lost First Round, 2–3 (Guelph)
1991–92OUAA221651332nd241671.688Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1992–93OUAA22128226T–6th231292.565Lost First Round, 4–8 (Windsor)
1993–94OUAA242211451st292531.879Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Queen's)
Won Semifinal, 2–1 (York)
Lost Championship, 1–2 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal, 5–6 (Guelph)
1994–95OUAA241662342nd292072.724Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Waterloo)
Won Semifinal, 7–2 (York)
Won Championship, 5–4 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal, 4–5 (Moncton)
1995–96OUAA261682343rd271692.630Lost Division Semifinal, 4–5 (2OT) (Windsor)
1996–97OUAA261511030T–6th2916130.552Won Division Semifinal, 6–2 (Windsor)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Waterloo)
1997–98OUA261583335th2916103.603Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Waterloo)
1998–99OUA2614120288th2614120.538
1999–00OUA26193442T–2nd322264.750Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 5–1 (York)
Lost Championship, 2–3 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 2–3 (New Brunswick), 2–3 (Saskatchewan)
2000–01OUA242130422nd302550.833Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Waterloo)
Won Semifinal, 7–3 (York)
Lost Championship, 3–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 2–5 (St. Francis Xavier), 5–3 (Alberta)
2001–02OUA242202461st322822.906Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Lakehead)
Won Semifinal, 5–3 (York)
Lost Championship, 4–5 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Won Pool A Round-Robin, 5–2 (Guelph), 4–1 (Alberta)
Won Championship, 4–3 (3OT) (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2002–03OUA242400481st262420.923Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2003–04OUA2421300421st272250.815Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Lakehead)
2004–05OUA241760135T–1st3322110.667Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Waterloo)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Lakehead)
Won Championship, 4–0 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 3–8 (Moncton), 0–3 (Saskatchewan)
2005–06OUA242121043T–1st272241.833Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Lakehead)
2006–07OUA2817632394th3420113.632Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Waterloo)
2007–08OUA2818514413rd342194.676Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (York)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Brock)
2008–09OUA2819720413rd3826120.684Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Guelph)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (York)
Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Championship, 2–1 (McGill)
Won Pool B Round-Robin, 3–4 (McGill), 7–2 (Saint Mary's)
Lost Championship, 2–4 (New Brunswick)
2009–10OUA2821700423rd3525100.714Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Ontario Tech)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Windsor)
'Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2010–11OUA2820323452nd382783.750Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Windsor)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Waterloo)
Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Guelph)
Lost Championship, 2–6 (McGill)
Lost Pool B Round-Robin, 3–2 (Calgary), 0–4 (New Brunswick)
2011–12OUA2821412452nd392982.769Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Brock)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Windsor)
Lost Championship, 1–4 (McGill)
Won Pool B Round-Robin, 3–2 (3OT) (Quebec–Trois-Rivières), 3–2 (New Brunswick)
Lost Championship, 3–4 (OT) (McGill)
2012–13OUA2821511441st332481.742Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Ontario Tech)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Waterloo)
2013–14OUA2821610434th3424100.706Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Guelph)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Windsor)
2014–15OUA2719710395th2919100.655Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2015–16OUA28181000367th3724130.649Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Toronto)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Guelph)
Lost Championship, 3–4 (OT) (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Quarterfinal, 1–5 (New Brunswick)
2016–17OUA28816222017th288182.321
2017–18OUA281411213112th3115151.500Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Ryerson)
2018–19OUA2815120131T–9th3519151.557Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Guelph)
Lost Bronze Medal Game, 0–3 (Carleton)
2019–20OUA281113402615th3918210.462Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Toronto)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Ryerson)
Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Guelph)
Won Bronze Medal Game, 5–2 (Concordia)
Won Quarterfinal, 3–2 (Saskatchewan)
Remainder of tournament cancelled
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22OUA147700.500T–11th15780.467Lost First Round, 4–5 (2OT) (Ryerson)
2022–23OUA2711115027T–12th2711160.407
2023–24OUA281018002016th2810180.357
TotalsGPWLT/SOL %Championships
Regular Season136187440089.6741 Central Division Title, 9 Far West Division Titles, 9 West Division Titles, 3 OUAA Championships, 6 OUA Championships
Conference Post-season188102860.5431 OUAA Championship, 2 OUA Championships
U Sports Postseason2511140.44013 National Tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record157698750089.6551 National Championship

Note: Totals include results from 1964–65 onward.

Notable players

Western has had multiple NHL and All-Canadian players over the years. These include:

References

  1. "Hockey (M): Past Champions". Ontario University Athletics. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013.
  2. "Past Champs". english.cis-sic.ca.
  3. "JP Metras Sports Museum". www.lib.uwo.ca. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gage, Bob (2000). Mustang Tales: A history of men's sports in the 20th century at Western. London, Ontario, Canada: W Club. ISBN   0968938604.
  5. "JP Metras Sports Museum". www.lib.uwo.ca. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  6. "Western U Sextet Play At Brantford". Brantford Expositor . Brantford, Ontario. October 26, 1936. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  7. "Rucchin: Focus was key to Kariya's success". NHL.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  8. "Ontario University Athletics (OUA)". oua.ca. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  9. "Elite Prospects - Clarke Singer Team Staff Profile". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  10. "MEN'S HOCKEY". Western Mustangs. Retrieved February 8, 2024.