Hockey Programs

1991-92 Regular Season Storm vs. Nashville Knights      In the summer of 1991, professional hockey returned to Toledo after a 6-year absence. After decades in the International Hockey League, the northern Ohio city was now a member of the Double-A East Coast Hockey League. The Toledo Storm joined the ECHL as an expansion franchise owned by Chicago businessman Barry Soskin (who would later own, among other teams, the FPHL's Port Huron Prowlers). The team would play in the ancient Toledo Sports Arena, which sat 5,160 for hockey. The Storm were affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings and wore uniforms virtually identical to their parent club. The team's first Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations was Chris McSorley, who played for the IHL's Toledo Goaldiggers from 1984-86.       Low attendance (thanks to a weak economy) was one of the things that eventually dragged the Goaldiggers under. Even with dominant teams in the early 1980s and three straight trip...

1992-93 Regular Season: Thunder Hawks vs. Flint Bulldogs      The Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks were coming off a successful inaugural season in 1991-92, winning the Colonial Hockey League's first Colonial Cup Championship. General Manager Gary Cook and Head Coach Bill McDonald returned for Season 2, and the team was now affiliated with the Ottawa Senators.       The 1992-93 Thunder Hawks remained in third place, but improved to 32-24-4, 13 points behind league-best Brantford. Attendance climbed to 1,783 per game, third-best in the league.      Thunder Bay scored the third-most goals that year, lighting the lamp 288 times. They were led on offense by former Detroit Red Wings prospect Jason Firth, with 36 goals and 100 points in 49 games. Center Todd Howarth was next in line with a career-high 37 goals and 79 points in 60 games. The other 20-goal scorers were Gary Callaghan (26) and Vincent Faucher (20). Defenseman (and former Montreal Canadi...