York Lions men's ice hockey

Last updated
York Lions men's ice hockey
York Lions Hockey Logo.png
University York University
Conference OUA
OUA East Division
Head coachRuss Herrington
Since 2017–18 season
Assistant coachesDan Poliziani
Jessica Turi
Stefano Mallocci
Arena Canlan Ice Sports
Toronto, Ontario
ColorsRed, White, and Black
     
U Sports tournament champions
1985, 1988, 1989
U Sports tournament appearances
1970, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2017
Conference tournament champions
1970, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2004, 2017
Conference regular season champions
1970, 1972, 1977, 1988

The York Lions men's ice hockey team (formerly the York Yeomen) is an active ice hockey program representing the York Lions athletic department of York University. The team has been continually active since the early 1960s and is currently a member of the Ontario University Athletics conference under the authority of U Sports. The Lions play at the Canlan Ice Sports in Toronto, Ontario. [1]

Contents

History

York University, established in 1959, iced its first varsity hockey team in 1962, joining the Ontario Intermediate Athletic Association (OIAA), as an Intermediate (2nd tier) program. The Yeomen joined just as the league was preparing to elevate itself to the senior level of Canadian college hockey, however, its plans hit a snag. The OIAA petitioned CIAU for a bid into the University Cup in 1964 but were denied. In response, the entire league cancelled their schedules midway through the year. That summer, the CIAU reversed their decision and conferred an automatic bid for the conference champion. York resumed play the next year at the top level and slowly built itself into a contender. In 1970, the program won its first league title, earning a trip to the national tournament for the first time. The team followed up their bronze medal-finish with a runner-up spot in the conference final before the college landscape was upended.

The Lions in a game against the Windsor Lancers in 2012. York Lions 2012.JPG
The Lions in a game against the Windsor Lancers in 2012.

In 1971, the four conferences that shared programs across Ontario and Quebec were realigned into two provincial leagues. York didn't appear to be bothered in the slightest by this development, posting winning records in seven consecutive seasons in their new league, the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA). Unfortunately, the Yeomen were unable to win a league championship and were prevented from returning to the University Cup.

After a lull in the early 80s, York returned in force in the middle of the decade, winning its first conference championship in 15 years. They won three close games in the University Cup series and captured the program's first national championship. [2] York won the next three OUAA titles as well but it wasn't until 1988 that they were able too win their second University Cup. The program slumped a bit in 1989 but still earned an automatic bit to the tournament thanks to a runner-up finish in the OUAA playoffs. The defending champions then went on a tear and upset two heavily favored squads to win back-to-back championships. [3]

York declined and spent most of the 90s as a middling team, though they did make two trips to the national tournament in 1997 and '99. In the early 21st century, the program recovered and ended a 16-year drought with a league championship in 2004. However, once again, the renamed-Lions slipped into the middle of the pack for much of the succeeding two decades. Other than 2017 and '18, the Lions have seen no success in the postseason.

Season-by-season results

Senior and intermediate play

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

Extra-League Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions
SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPts*FinishGPWLT%
1962–63OIAA???????????
1963–64OIAA?????N/A ?????
TotalsGPWLT %Championships
Regular Season ? ? ? ? ?
Conference Post-season ? ? ? ? ?
Regular Season and Postseason Record ? ? ? ? ?

† season ended early when the league cancelled its remaining schedule in protest.

Senior collegiate

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/SOL%
1964–65OIAA6330.500T–4th6330.500
1965–66OIAA10541113rd10541.550
1966–67OIAA12660124th12660.500
1967–68OIAA12840162nd12840.667
1968–69OIAA10550104th10550.500
1969–70OIAA101000201st141310.929Won Championship , 8–2 (Laurentian)Lost Quarterfinal, 1–4 (Saint Mary's)
Won Consolation Semifinal, 12–3 (Alberta)
Won Consolation Final, 7–3 (Loyola)
1970–71OIAA10820162nd12930.750Won Semifinal, 8–1 (Waterloo Lutheran)
Lost Championship, 3–5 (Laurentian)
1971–72 OUAA 191612341st221822.864Won Quarterfinal, 6–1 (Laurentian)
Won Semifinal, 6–2 (Guelph)
Lost Championship, 2–5 (Toronto)
1972–73OUAA1710616T–6th181071.583Lost Quarterfinal, 2–8 (Toronto)
1973–74OUAA191621332nd211731.833Won Quarterfinal, 8–2 (Laurentian)
Lost Semifinal, 4–8 (Guelph)
1974–75OUAA14923212nd171133.735Won Quarterfinal, 9–2 (Ottawa)
Won Semifinal, 9–3 (Western Ontario)
Lost Championship, 3–4 (Toronto)
1975–76OUAA141040203rd171250.706Won Quarterfinal, 14–0 (Ryerson)
Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Western Ontario)
Lost Championship, 4–5 (Guelph)
1976–77OUAA191621331st221831.841Won Quarterfinal, 11–1 (Ryerson)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Guelph)
Lost Championship, 4–5 (Toronto)
1977–78OUAA201082226th221192.545Won Quarterfinal, 8–1 (Laurentian)
Lost Semifinal, 6–8 (Toronto)
1978–79OUAA16574148th?????Lost results unavailable
1979–80OUAA228113198th228113.432
1980–81OUAA22127328T–5th241383.604Won Quarterfinal, 5–4 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Queen's)
1981–82OUAA22138127T–5th231391.587Lost Quarterfinal, 5–6 (McMaster)
1982–83OUAA2413110266th2513120.520Lost Quarterfinal, 4–5 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1983–84OUAA241013116 T–11th2410131.438
1984–85OUAA241590305th271944.778Won Quarterfinal, 4–1 (Laurentian)
Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Toronto)
Won Championship series, 2–1 (Western Ontario)
Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ottawa)
Won Championship, 3–2 (Alberta)
1985–86OUAA241851363rd342581.750Won Quarterfinal, 4–3 (Waterloo)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Toronto)
Won Championship series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Dalhousie)
Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
1986–87OUAA241923.8542nd342563.779Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (McMaster)
Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Windsor)
Won Championship series, 2–1 (Western Ontario)
Lost Pool 2 Round-Robin, 1–2 (Alberta), 2–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
1987–88OUAA262015451st342815.897Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Western Ontario)
Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Windsor)
Won Championship, 5–1 (Western Ontario)
Won Semifinal, 4–3 (Calgary)
Won Championship, 5–3 (Western Ontario)
1988–89OUAA261493296th3519133.586Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Waterloo)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Championship, 0–3 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 4–3 (Alberta)
Won Championship, 5–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1989–90OUAA22138127T–4th2816111.589Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Ottawa)
Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
1990–91OUAA221480285th231490.609Lost First Round, 4–5 (McGill)
1991–92OUAA221183258th2411103.521Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
1992–93OUAA22713216T–13th227132.364
1993–94OUAA26101512110th3113171.435Won Division Semifinal, 4–3 (Laurentian)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 1–2 (Western Ontario)
1994–95OUAA26121222610th3115142.516Won Division Semifinal, 5–3 (Laurentian)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 2–7 (Western Ontario)
1995–96OUAA261394308th2713104.556Lost Division Semifinal, 3–4 (OT) (Brock)
1996–97OUAA261493315th3117113.583Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Laurentian)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Western Ontario)
Lost Championship, 0–3 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal, 2–4 (Guelph)
1997–98OUA261311228T–7th3016122.567Won Division Final series, 3–0 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 2–6 (Windsor)
1998–99OUA2581073310th3212137.484Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)
Won Semifinal, 3–1 (Windsor)
Lost Championship, 0–7 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 5–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières), 0–4 (Alberta)
1999–00OUA26914321T–10th3213163.453Won Division Semifinal, 2–0 (Laurentian)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 1–5 (Western Ontario)
2000–01OUA241563333rd271773.685Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Guelph)
Lost Semifinal, 3–7 (Western Ontario)
2001–02OUA241743372nd271953.759Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 3–5 (Western Ontario)
2002–03OUA241761354th3120101.661Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 3–1 (Lakehead)
Lost Championship, 4–7 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 0–4 (Alberta), 4–5 (St. Francis Xavier)
2003–04OUA2415540343rd301974.700Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)
Won Semifinal, 3–2 (Lakehead)
Won Championship, 3–2 (Ottawa)
Lost Pool B Round-Robin, 2–4 (Dalhousie), 0–4 (St. Francis Xavier)
2004–05OUA2412651306th261295.558Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2005–06OUA24101112238th2610151.404Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2006–07OUA2813103231T–7th3013143.483Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2007–08OUA28141121318th3014151.483Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
2008–09OUA2814110331T–7th3014133.517Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
2009–10OUA2812133027T–11th3113180.419Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Lakehead)
2010–11OUA281016112217th2810171.375
2011–12OUA28141013319th3014133.517Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Windsor)
2012–13OUA281414002813th3014160.467Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Windsor)
2013–14OUA2813131128T–12th3013161.450Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead)
2014–15OUA279152121T–16th279171.352
2015–16OUA2816741376th3016131.550Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Toronto)
2016–17OUA2818631404th3725111.689Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Guelph)
Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Windsor)
Won Championship, 4–3 (Queen's)
Lost Quarterfinal, 0–1 (OT) (Saskatchewan)
2017–18OUA28171001357th3521131.614Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Lakehead)
Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ryerson)
Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Brock)
Lost Bronze Medal Game, 2–3 (Concordia)
2018–19OUA2812142026T–14th3012180.400Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Brock)
2019–20OUA28917202017th289190.321
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22OUA166820.43815th176110.353Lost Division Quarterfinal, 2–4 (Windsor)
2022–23OUA271213202616th2712150.444
2023–24OUA2832221919th283241.107
2024–25OUA28716231917th287183.250
TotalsGPWLT/SOL %Championships
Regular Season1329695534100.5611 OIAA Championship, 3 OUAA Championships, 3 East Division Title, 1 Central Division Title, 9 Mid-West Division Titles, 1 West Division Title
Conference Post-season15183680.5501 OIAA Championships, 4 OUAA Championships, 2 OUAA Championships
U Sports Postseason2110110.47611 National Tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record1501787613100.5583 National Championships

† York was penalized 5 points in the standings for using an ineligible player.
Note: Totals include senior collegiate play only, except for 1978–79.

References

  1. "Canlan Sports - York". Canlan Sports. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  2. "York Has 'Different' Team But Still Strong". The Hockey News. October 18, 1985. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  3. "ROCK ON!". The Hockey News. March 31, 1989. Retrieved October 7, 2024.