Nipigon Elks

Nipigon Elks
CityNipigon, Ontario, Canada
LeagueLakehead Junior Hockey League
Founded1993
Home arenaNipigon Community Centre
ColorsBlue, Yellow, and White
     
PresidentIrwin Nicol
General managerIrwin Nicol
Head coachJohn Coppock
Franchise history
1993-2008Nipigon Elks
2008-2009Nip-Rock Elks
2009-presentNipigon Elks

The Nipigon Elks are a Canadian Junior B ice hockey team based in Nipigon, Ontario. They play in the Lakehead Junior Hockey League of Hockey Northwestern Ontario.[1]

History

The Elks are five-time Western Canadian Brewers Cup champions. They won the Junior C tournament in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2013 against comparable teams from across Western Canada. The Elks were also 2010 finalists.

In 2008, the team changed their name from the Nipigon Elks to the Nip-Rock Elks. The name change, which was for just one season, had to do with an agreement with the neighboring town of Red Rock, Ontario.

2002–03

The Nipigon Elks finished off the 2002-03 season in first place with a record of 16-6-2 and went on to win the league playoffs. The Elks defeated the Wawa Travellers of the North of Superior Junior B Hockey League to win the Northern Ontario Regional Junior B Hockey Championship for the right to compete at the 2003 Keystone Cup in St. Claude, Manitoba.

The Elks first game of the Western Canadian Junior B championship was against the Assiniboia Southern Rebels, a 6-1 loss. They next played the Selkirk Fishermen, resulting in a 9-3 loss. In the third game, the Elks lost to the Spruce Grove Regals 11-2, then lost to the Richmond Sockeyes 5-1. In the fifth and final game of the round robin, the Elks lost to the host St. Claude Knights 5-1 to close out their tournament winless.

Season-by-season standings

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Results Playoffs
2000-01 30 18 11 1 - 37 - - 3rd
2001-02 23 5 14 4 - 14 - - 2nd
2002-03 24 16 6 2 - 34 - - 1st Won Finals
2003-04 24 14 8 2 - 30 145 107 3rd of 7
2004-05 24 10 11 3 - 23 106 127 4th of 7 Lost semifinals vs Northern Hawks
2005-06 30 3 25 2 - 8 92 211 6th of 7 Lost semifinals vs K&A Wolverines
2006-07 30 5 25 0 - 10 88 228 3rd of 4 Lost semifinals
2007-08 30 4 24 2 - 10 96 214 3rd of 4 Lost semifinals
2008-09 30 2 27 1 - 5 72 220 3rd of 4 Lost semifinals
2009-10 30 15 15 0 - 30 136 139 2nd of 4 Lost semifinals
2010-11 30 15 11 4 - 34 146 130 2nd of 4 Lost semifinals vs Thunder Bay Stars
2011-12 31 25 6 0 - 50 238 117 2nd of 4 Lost Finals vs Northern Hawks
2012-13 24 18 5 1 - 37 135 84 2nd of 4 Lost Finals vs Northern Hawks
2013-14 30 11 17 2 - 24 104 143 3rd of 4 Lost semifinals, 1-4 vs Thunder Bay Stars
2014-15 30 14 15 1 - 29 127 156 3rd of 4 Lost semifinals, 1-4 vs Thunder Bay Stars
2015-16 32 10 20 2 - 22 118 159 4th of 6 Lost semifinals, 1-4 vs Northern Hawks
2016-17 30 16 9 5 - 37 162 124 3rd of 5 Won semifinals, 4-1 vs Thunder Bay Stars
Won Finals, 4-1 vs Northern Hawks
2017-18 28 14 10 4 - 32 152 118 3rd of 5 Lost semifinals, 3-4 vs Northern Hawks
2018-19 30 6 21 1 2 15 102 174 4th of 5 Lost semifinals, 0-4 vs Fighting Walleye
2019-20 27 12 15 0 0 24 116 119 3rd of 4 Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19
2020-21 2 0 2 0 0 0 116 119 --- Season cancelled due to COVID-19
2021-22 18 2 16 0 0 4 47 117 4th of 4 Lost semifinals, 2-4 vs Bandits
2022-23 24 9 14 0 1 19 83 116 4th of 5 Won 1st Round, 2-0 vs Bandits
Lost Semifinal, 0-4 Falcons
2023-24 24 2 20 0 2 6 60 183 5th of 5 Lost 1st Round, 0-2 vs Bandits

Keystone Cup history

Western Canadian Jr. B Championships (Northern Ontario to British Columbia)
Six teams in round robin play. 1st vs 2nd for gold/silver; 3rd vs 4th for bronze.

Year Round Robin Record Standing Bronze Medal Game Gold Medal Game
2003 L, Assiniboia 1-6
L, Selkirk 3-9
L, Spruce Grove 2-11
L, Richmond 1-5
L, St. Claude 1-5		 0-5-0 6th of 6 did not qualify did not qualify
2017 L, Regina 3-6
L, Peguis 3-4
L, Wainwright 2-9
L, Beaver Valley 2-10
L, Arborg 4-9		 0-5-0 6th of 6 did not qualify did not qualify

References

  1. ^ "Hockey league undergoes makeover". Chronicle Journal. 4 October 2016.