Wingham Ironmen
CityWingham, Ontario[1]
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceNorth
DivisionPollock
Founded1973[1]
Home arenaNorth Huron Wescast Community Complex
ColoursBlue, Yellow, and White
General managerCory Hamilton
Head coachDawson Smith

The Wingham Ironmen are a Junior ice hockey team based in Wingham, Ontario, Canada.[1] They began play in the Northern Junior D Hockey League and eventually moved up to the Western Junior C Hockey League[2] where they played until the 2016-17 season when the league became part of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) as the Pollock Division.

History

Ironmen goalie during 2014 Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs.
Ironmen player during 2014 Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs.

Founded in 1973, the Ironmen started out in Northern Junior D Hockey League where they played for six seasons.[3] After some success at the Junior D level, the Ironmen joined the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1979.[1]

In 1980, the league changed its name to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League to reflect the centralization of the league in Grey-Bruce counties region.[1] The Ironmen won the league playoffs that year and advanced to the Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs for the first time. Unfortunately, the Ironmen lost to the eventual finalist Essex 73's 4 games-to-1.

After two poor seasons, the Ironmen stormed back to the top of the standings winning the league and advancing to the Schmalz Cup playoffs yet again in 1984. However, the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League's Dresden Kings overwhelmed the Ironmen in four straight games to advance to the semi-finals.

In 1988, the Ironmen had a strong season by finishing second in the regular season standings and advancing to the playoff finals, However, the Ironmen did not participate in league play the following 1989-90 season.

In 2003-04, the Ironmen won the Western league title and went on to compete in the All-Ontario Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs. In the quarter-final round, the Ironmen defeated the Stayner Siskens of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in a hard fought seven game series. Waiting for them in the semi-finals were the Dresden Kings but the Ironmen were ready. Wingham made quick work of Dresden emerging with a 4-games-to-1 series win. In the finals, their competition was the Niagara Junior C Hockey League's Grimsby Peach Kings who swept the Ironmen to win the provincial title.[4]

The 2004-05 season saw the Ironmen take first place in the league. In the league semi-final, the played against the fourth seeded Goderich Sailors and defeated them 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen drew their most common foe, the Kincardine Bulldogs. In a hard fought battle, the Ironmen found themselves down 3-games-to-2 to the Bulldogs. In Game 6, the Ironmen came to play and defeating the Bulldogs 5-1. The decisive Game 7 ended with a 4-2 victory for Wingham. As Western league champions, the Ironmen found themselves competing for the Schmalz Cup again. In the provincial quarter-final, the Ironmen drew the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League's Erin Shamrocks. The Ironmen defeated them 4-games-to-2. In the semi-finals, the Ironmen drew the challenging Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League's Essex 73's. The 73's were too much for the Ironmen to handle and they swept Wingham 4-games-to-none.[5]

In 2005-06, the Ironmen finished in first place again. They received a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen were up against the Walkerton Hawks, whom they swept 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen mixed it up with the Kincardine Bulldogs but were eliminated 4-games-to-1.[5]

The 2006-07 regular season ended with the Ironmen in second place. They again had a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen ran into the Walkerton Hawks squad who defeated the Ironmen, 4-games-to-none.[5]

Season-by-season standings

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1973-74 27 15 9 3 161 107 33 3rd NJDHL Group Champions
1974-75 281864-19611440 3rd NJDHL Won semi-final, 4-3 (Bears)
Lost final, 0-4 (Eagles)
1975-76 28 20 5 3 171 93 43 1st NJDHL Group Champions
1976-77 24 13 7 4 167 100 30 3rd NJDHL
1977-78 24 19 5 0 155 69 38 1st Jr D Grp #6 Group Champions
1978-79 1st Jr D Grp #6 Group Champions
1979-802917102-172117364th CJCHL West
1980-81301884-154182402nd GBJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
1981-82307230-99177146th GBJCHL
1982-83306204-119170166th GBJCHL
1983-84301983-187123411st GBJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
1984-853014124-152153322nd GBJCHL
1985-86302262-12624146th GBJCHL
1986-87249114-120150223rd GBJCHL
1987-883013143-167171293rd GBJCHL
1988-89302064-229138442nd WJCHL
1989-90Did not participate
1990-913012144-126149284th WJCHL
1991-92297184-129173186th WJCHL
1992-93301794-180141383rd WJCHL
1993-94311876-----422nd WJCHL
1994-953013125-152135315th WJCHL
1995-962914114-162120324th WJCHL
1996-97301695-152107372nd WJCHL
1997-98352771-16487552nd WJCHL
1998-99352861-15478572nd WJCHL
1999-00*3523102-18294482nd WJCHL
2000-01398292-100199185th WJCHL
2001-023521113-152118453rd WJCHL
2002-03352111-3151117454th WJCHL
2003-04342554017799541st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC final
2004-054030442193101661st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC semi-final
2005-06403252123797671st WJCHLLost final
2006-074029803204135612nd WJCHLLost semi-final
2007-08401915-6196177444th WJCHL
2008-09361915-2141115404th WJCHL
2009-10361614-6105126385th WJCHLLost quarter-final
2010-1136269-1196148532nd WJCHLLost semi-final
2011-12361913-4152119424th WJCHLLost semi-final
2012-13362214-0194142444th WJCHLLost quarter-final
2013-1435266-3184125551st WJCHLWon league
Lost CSC semi-final
2014-15362970-17194581st WJCHLWon, Semi - 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Lost, League Final - 3-4(W Hawks)
2015-163616191-130128335th of 7 WJCHLLost quarters-final, 2-4 (M Hawks)
2016-173611223-87140256th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Patriots)
2017-1840221413158150485th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (M Hawks)
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Patriots)
2018-194231821202119652nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Flyers)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-0 (Bulldogs)
Lost Div Final, 2-4 (Patriots)
2019-204228903171107612nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (W Hawks)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-1 (Bulldogs)
no decision Div Final, 1-1 (Patriots)
Playoffs cancelled due to covid
2020-21Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22321614119077345th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Barons)
2022-2342261321146109554th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL		Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Bulldogs
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Patriots))

(*) The 1999-00 Season was altered drastically due to the folding of the Lakeshore Pirates. As a disproportionate number of games had been played by each team against Lakeshore, all history of these games were erased.[6]

Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances

2004: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Wingham Ironmen 4-games-to-none[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Wingham Ironmen
  2. ↑ Western C Teams | Western Junior C Hockey League | Junior C | Leagues | Ontario Hockey Association
  3. ↑ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports section, February 1976
  4. 1 2 Ontario Hockey Association 2006-2007 Constitution, Regulations and Rules of Competition by The Ontario Hockey Association (2006)
  5. 1 2 3 4 Home | Ontario Hockey Association
  6. ↑ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section, November 1999.
  7. ↑ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section final standings
  8. ↑ London Free Press Sports Section final standings
  9. ↑ Mount Forest Confederate Sports Section final standings
  10. ↑ Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section for Goal totals
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