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...

1985-86 Regular Season: Goaldiggers vs. Kalamazoo Wings Goaldiggers vs. Indianapolis Checkers      Since their inception in 1974, the Toledo Goaldiggers had been one of the top teams in the International Hockey League. The Diggers reached the Turner Cup Finals six times in their 12 years of existence, bringing home four Cups in the process. During their first several seasons, the team was very popular on the ice as well, often playing to jam-packed crowds at the ancient Toledo Sports Arena.      By the mid-1980s, the franchise was in decline. Attendance had fallen by more than half, even with the powerhouse teams in 1981-84. The franchise nearly went out of business twice, only to be rescued by new investors in time for the next season.      1985-86 was a difficult season for the Goaldiggers. Toledo was coming off a dismal 1984-85 season, which saw the team drop to last place in the Eastern Division with a 32-42-8 record, losing in the first ...

1981-82 Regular Season: Goaldiggers vs. Kalamazoo Wings      The 1980-81 season was a disaster for the Toledo Goaldiggers. A contender for most of their existence, the Diggers collapsed to last place in the IHL, with a 26-47-11 record. Attendance was down to about 2,000 per game, forcing the team to suspend operations after losing $300,000 that year.      Former IHL commissioner Bill Beagan rescued the franchise from oblivion, signing a 2-year lease for the Toledo Sports Arena. Beagan kept head coach/GM Bill Inglis, who replaced former coach Jim Sanko during the previous campaign.      The 1981-82 season was a complete turnaround for the franchise on the ice. Toledo rocketed up the standings, finishing with a team record 53 wins (53-25-4). The Goaldiggers' 111 points easily clinched the Huber Trophy, 20 points ahead of second-place Milwaukee.      The Goaldiggers were loaded on offense in 1981-82, as their 407 goals lead...

     (Note: A great website for Goaldiggers history is toledoretrohockey.com . It includes tons of pictures from the various minor league teams in that town, even an online store to buy Goaldiggers apparel. I bought a shirt there awhile back. Very nice!) 1984-85 Regular Season--Goaldiggers vs. Fort Wayne Komets      The Goaldiggers returned to the Turner Cup Finals in 1983-84, but their quest for 3 straight Cups ran into a buzzsaw called the Flint Generals, who swept them aside in four straight. Bill Inglis stepped down after 3 1/2 successful seasons to take the Coach/GM position in Kalamazoo.      Toledo replaced Inglis with former netminder Tony Piroski. Piroski didn't last too long behind the bench, and after a 7-14-4 start, was replaced by former Diggers coach Ted Garvin.      The Diggers slumped to a 32-42-5 record, their worst since 1980-81. They brought up the rear in the Eastern Division, 17 ...

1982-83 Regular Season--Goaldiggers vs. Saginaw Gears      After winning the 1977-78 Turner Cup, the Goaldiggers stumbled through a few forgettable seasons. By 1980-81, the team hired Bill Inglis as head coach midway through the season. Inglis built a powerhouse team in 1981-82, which set team records for victories (53), then flattened the Saginaw Gears in five games to win the Turner Cup.       Inglis' 1982-83 Diggers were almost as good. They repeated as regular season champions, with an excellent 51-21-10 record, 10 points ahead of second place Fort Wayne. They were 25 points ahead of Western Division champion Milwaukee.      The Diggers featured the third best offense in the IHL in '82-83, lighting the lamp 362 times. Future NHLer Dirk Graham led the way with 70 goals and 125 points (amazingly, not the league leader in goals!). Dave Falkenberg was next in goal-scoring with 51 goals. Five other players had at least 20 ...

1977-78 Regular Season--Opponent Unknown      The Toledo Goaldiggers joined the IHL as an expansion franchise shortly after the Hornets skipped town. They wisely hired ex-Port Huron Wings coach Ted Garvin as head coach/GM, and made the playoffs in their first season. The Diggers then stormed to the Turner Cup Finals, completing the legendary "Miracle on Main Street" by defeating the Saginaw Gears in seven games to win the Cup in their inaugural season.      The Toledo Goaldiggers existed from 1974-86, and are considered by many fans to be the glory years of pro hockey in Toledo. By 1977-78, the Diggers were firmly established as a dangerous team in the IHL. They were coming off a seven-game defeat in the Finals to Saginaw, and the Sports Arena was packed on a nightly basis. Ted Garvin's squad were affiliated with the New York Rangers and Cleveland Barons.      Toledo finished in second place in the South Division, with a ...

1972-73 Regular Season--Hornets vs. Saginaw Gears       The Hornets had their best season in their four years of existence, but it wasn't anything special. Toledo finished third in the Northern Division, with an ordinary 36-33-5 record. Their 77 points was just one point ahead of fourth place Muskegon and twelve behind division champion Flint. Fred Burchell was behind the bench this season.      Toledo had the second-worst offense in the IHL that season, scoring just 257 goals. The Hornets were led by Harold White, who scored 27 goals and 63 points. Moe Brunel led the team in goals with 30. Only four other players had at least 20 goals that season.      The Hornet defense was much better, allowing the fifth-fewest goals in the league, 261. Glenn Ramsay was back for another season in the Toledo net, and had a fine season. Ramsay, one of the iron men of the IHL, played in 70 games, posting 3 shutouts and a 3.21 GAA. De...

1971-72 Regular Season--Opponent Unknown       The Toledo Blades were renamed Hornets after the 1969-70 season. The Hornets were led by President/GM Paul Bright, and coached by Bill Needham. The Hornets four-year run is considered the low point of pro hockey in Toledo. While the Blades and Mercurys won 5 Turner Cups between them, the Hornets never made it past the first round. Finishing over .500 only once, the Hornets failed to capture the imagination of Toledo hockey fans, often playing in front of small crowds at the Sports Arena.      The 1971-72 Hornets didn't improve much on the previous season, going a lackluster 26-46-0. That was good enough for dead last in the North Division, 15 points behind third place Flint and 48 behind division champ Muskegon.      The Hornets had the third-worst offense in the league that year, scoring 270 goals. Needham's bunch were led by Jim Paterson, who had 46 goals and 86 points...

1969-70 Regular Season--Blades vs. Fort Wayne Komets      In 1969-70, the IHL split into two, four-team divisions with the arrival of the expansion Flint Generals. Toledo joined the Southern Division with Dayton, Des Moines and Columbus. Bill Mitchell was the coach of the Blades for this season, the seventh in franchise history.      The Blades finished second place in the South. Their mediocre 32-33-7 record earned them 71 points, nine behind first place Dayton and 29 behind league-leading Muskegon.      Toledo tied for the second-fewest goals in the league that year, scoring only 241. Mitchell's club was led by Ray Germain, who had 22  goals to go along with 70 points. Wayne Zuk led the team in goals with 41. Five other players on the roster had over 20 goals.      On the other hand, the Blades defense was stellar. Toledo allowed 265 goals, second-fewest in the IHL that year. Glenn Ramsay had a...

1967-68 Regular Season--Opponent Unknown      The Toledo Blades were the third professional hockey club to play in Toledo, Ohio. They were members of the International Hockey League from 1963-70, when they were renamed Toledo Hornets. They played their home games at the Toledo Sports Arena, a 5,230-seat arena.      The Blades were coming off their second Turner Cup victory in 1966-67, having defeated Fort Wayne in the Finals. The 1967-68 Blades slipped to fifth place in the IHL that year, with a 29-29-14 record. While Muskegon ran away with the regular season title, the battle for the second-fourth playoff seeds was hotly contested, as only six points separated second place Dayton and fifth place Toledo.      Coach Terry Slater's squad scored only 261 goals, second-fewest in the league. Stan Maxwell led the charge on offense, with 34 goals and 78 points. Richard Balon led the Blades in goals with 41. Five other players sc...