Hockey Programs

1995-96 Regular Season: Vipers vs. Atlanta Knights       This was the second season of Detroit Vipers hockey. The team was originally the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, and was purchased by Palace Sports and Entertainment in the summer of 1994. Rick Dudley returned as Head Coach/GM, with former Muskegon Fury Head Coach Steve Ludzik as his assistant. Home games were played at the 20,804-seat Palace of Auburn Hills. The Vipers' farm team was the Flint Generals.      The Vipers were moved to the IHL's Central Division, and had another strong season, going 48-28-6. Their 102 points were good enough for second place, eight points back of the Orlando Solar Bears, and tied for fourth overall in the IHL. Attendance dipped a little bit, but Detroit was still tops in the league, averaging 13,305 per game.       Detroit had the fifth-best offense in the IHL that season, scoring 310 goals. The leading scorer was former Flint Spirit and Saginaw Hawk Lonnie...

2000-01 Regular Season--Vipers vs. Orlando Solar Bears      The Detroit Vipers were in their seventh season of play by 2000-01. Since relocating from Salt Lake City Utah, the Vipers were a big success both on and off the ice. The team made the playoffs each season from 1994-99, reaching the Turner Cup Finals twice, winning the Cup in 1997. Off the ice, the Vipers rewrote the IHL record books for attendance. The franchise often packed the Palace of Auburn Hills and were at or near the top of the IHL in attendance average.      A turning point for the franchise came in 1999, when owner Bill Davidson purchased the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning.  After years of being an independent franchise, the Vipers became the Lightning's top farm club. The Lightning were a bottom feeder in the midst of a total rebuild, so the cupboards were not exactly stocked with talent. Due to a rash of injuries on the parent club, the Vipers used 63 players in 1999-2000. Thi...

1994-95 Home Opener: Vipers vs. Cleveland Lumberjacks      The Detroit Vipers joined the International Hockey League in the summer of 1994. Palace Sports and Entertainment purchased the Salt Lake Golden Eagles franchise and relocated it to Michigan. The team played their home games at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and was an independent franchise for the majority of their existence. For the 1994-95 season, they were the parent club of the Colonial League's Detroit Falcons.      Former Buffalo Sabres coach Rick Dudley was named the Head Coach/General Manager of the Vipers. Dudley had a successful run in the IHL, having led the 1987-88 Flint Spirits to the Turner Cup Finals and the 1992-93 San Diego Gulls to a league-record 62-12-8 and Finals berth. He was joined on the bench by future Flint Generals coach Robbie Nichols and player/assistant Mark Hardy.         Dudley built a strong team with a mix of talented ...