North Bay Centennials

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North Bay Centennials
1982 to 1999 1999 to 2002
City	North Bay, Ontario
League	Ontario Hockey League
Founded	1982-1983
Home Arena	North Bay Memorial Gardens
Capacity	4,025
Ice Size	190' X 85'
Colours	Black, Gold and White

The North Bay Centennials were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, who played from 1982-2002. The team was based in North Bay, Ontario.

Franchise Identities:

• St. Catharines Falcons 1943 to 1947
• St. Catharines Teepees 1947 to 1962
• St. Catharines Black Hawks 1962 to 1976
• Niagara Falls Flyers 1976 to 1982
• North Bay Centennials 1982 to 2002
• Saginaw Spirit 2002 to present

History

The North Bay Centennials or "Cents" as they were popularly known, were named after the 100th anniversary of the railroad in North Bay. The team came to the city in 1982 after the new owners of the Niagara Falls Flyers failed to get a deal for a new arena, and chose to relocate to North Bay which already had an adequate facility in operation.

The team can trace its roots back to St. Catharines, Ontario where it played from 1943-1976, as the as the Falcons, Teepees and Black Hawks, winning the Memorial Cup in 1954 & 1960.

1985 to 1987

The Centennials won back-to-back Emms division titles in 1986 and 1987. In 1987 the OHL organized a Super Series for the right to host the Memorial Cup tournament between the Leyden Division champions Oshawa Generals, and the Emms Division champions North Bay Centennials. The super series was played before the OHL playoffs commenced. North Bay came within one game of hosting the national junior championship, losing game 7 to the Oshawa Generals. In the OHL championship series that year the Centennials and Generals faced off again with the same result, Oshawa deafeating North Bay 4 games to 3.

1991-1992

Determined to return to the Memorial Cup, coach and general manager Bert Templeton began building his team for another championship run. In 1991-92 North Bay would return to the OHL finals, losing to their northern counterparts, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in seven games. Templeton was awarded the OHL Executive of the Year for the 1991-92 season.

1994 Memorial Cup

Two years later in 1994, North Bay was on top of the league winning the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. They entered the playoffs as the #1 ranked junior team in Canada. This time the Centennials would prevail in the finals by defeating the Detroit Jr. Red Wings in seven games. Injuries began to take their toll on the team as they headed to the Memorial Cup, played in Laval, Quebec. North Bay dropped all three games on the round-robin; losing 5-4 to the Laval Titan, 3-1 to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, and 5-1 to the Kamloops Blazers.

Templeton was awarded the Ontario Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League Coach of the Year in 1994. He asked for a raise in renegotiating his contract. When the raise was not given, Templeton and the Centennials parted ways.

Downfall of Centennials

After Bert Templeton was let go, the Centennials fell on hard times with many losing seasons. The Cents never regained their previous form and attendance dropped off yearly. Combined with an aging facility, the team became unprofitable and was ultimately sold to a group of American investors in 2002, and moved to Saginaw, Michigan to become the Saginaw Spirit.

Championships

The Centennials best year was 1994, when the team was first overall in the regular season, won the league championship and made the trip to the national championship. North Bay also won three division titles, and made three trips to the OHL championship series.

Division Trophies 1985-86 Emms Division 1986-87 Emms Division 1993-94 Leyden Division Hamilton Spectator Trophy 1993-94 46 wins, 5 ties, 97 points

J. Ross Robertson Cup 1987 Lost to Oshawa Generals 1992 Lost to S.S.Marie Greyhounds 1994 Champions vs. Detroit Jr. Red Wings Memorial Cup 1994 4th place in Laval, Quebec

Coaches

In twenty years of operation, the North Bay Centennials have had 4 coaches in their history. The legendary Bert Templeton carried over from Niagara Falls and guided the team for its first 12 years in North Bay. He later became the team's general manager in addition to coaching. He was awarded the OHL Executive of the Year for the 1991-92 season.

When the Centennials won the championship in 1994, Templeton was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year, and the CHL Coach of the Year Award. He asked for a raise in renegotiating his contract. Failing which, Templeton and the Centennials parted ways.

Shane Parker took over for 2 and a half seasons, replaced by Greg Bignell for a year and a half. Mike Kelly coched the last four years. He resigned when the team departed North Bay.

• 1982-1994 - Bert Templeton (12 years)
• 1994-1996 - Shane Parker (2.5 years)
• 1997-1998 - Greg Bignell (1.5 years)
• 1998-2002 - Mike Kelly (4 years)

Players

Award Winners

• 1991-92 - Drake Berehowsky, CHL Defenceman of the Year & Max Kaminsky Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman, OHL)
• 1991-92 - John Spoltore, Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year) & William Hanley Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)
• 1991-92 - Sandy Allan, F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy (Best Rookie GAA)
• 1993-94 - Vitali Yachmenev, CHL Rookie of the Year & Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year, OHL)
• 1993-94 - B.J. MacPherson, Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)
• 1993-94 - Sandy Allan & Scott Roche, Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team GAA)
• 1993-94 - Scott Roche, F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy (Best Rookie GAA)
• 1994-95 - Brad Brown, Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year)
• 1994-95 - Vitali Yachmenev, William Hanley Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)

NHL Alumni

Jonas Andersson Shawn Antoski Alex Auld Drake Berehowsky Jeff Bloemberg Dennis Bonvie Brad Brown Adam Burt Tony Cimellaro Troy Crowder Rob Davison

Andy Delmore Jeff Eatough Todd Elik Paul Gillis Trevor Halverson Mike Hartman Derian Hatcher Kevin Hatcher Bill Houlder Nick Kypreos Bob LaForest

Mark LaForest Mark LaVarre Mark Lawrence Brett MacDonald Jason MacDonald Mark Major Andrew McBain Steve McLaren Dave McLlwain Ron Meighan Steve Montador

Chris Neil Keith Osborne Chad Penney Geoff Platt John Purves Joe Reekie Jeff Shevalier Chris Thorburn Tom Thornbury Darren Turcotte Vitali Yachmenev

Yearly Results

Regular Season

Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	OTL	Points	Pct %	Goals For	Goals Against	Standing
1982-83	70	44	23	3
91	0.650	352	285	3rd Emms
1983-84	70	22	43	5
49	0.350	236	327	5th Emms
1984-85	66	34	28	4
72	0.545	289	254	3rd Emms
1985-86	66	41	21	4
86	0.652	330	240	1st Emms
1986-87	66	46	18	2
94	0.712	357	216	1st Emms
1987-88	66	31	30	5
67	0.508	284	257	4th Emms
1988-89	66	24	36	6
54	0.409	282	334	6th Emms
1989-90	66	23	35	8
54	0.409	292	314	5th Emms
1990-91	66	40	23	3
83	0.629	322	247	2nd Leyden
1991-92	66	40	21	5
85	0.644	323	259	2nd Leyden
1992-93	66	22	38	6
50	0.379	251	299	7th Leyden
1993-94	66	46	15	5
97	0.735	351	226	1st Leyden
1994-95	66	35	27	4
74	0.561	272	247	3rd Eastern
1995-96	66	14	45	7
35	0.265	242	360	6th Eastern
1996-97	66	14	44	8
36	0.273	214	337	6th Eastern
1997-98	66	15	45	6
36	0.273	213	291	6th Central
1998-99	68	22	40	6
50	0.368	215	248	3rd Central
1999-00	68	24	35	6	3	57	0.397	214	253	3rd Central
2000-01	68	32	28	6	2	72	0.515	232	220	3rd Central
2001-02	68	18	37	8	5	60	0.324	185	247	4th Central

Playoffs

• 1982-83 Defeated Windsor Spitfires 6 points to 0 in first round.
  Lost to Kitchener Rangers 8 points to 2 in quarter-finals.
• 1983-83 Lost to London Knights 6 points to 2 in first round.
• 1984-85 Lost to Hamilton Steelhawks 9 points to 7 in first round.
• 1985-86 Defeated London Knights 9 points to 1 in first round.
  Eliminated in round robin vs. Guelph Platers and Windsor Spitfires. (1 win in 4 games)
• 1986-87 Lost to Oshawa Generals 4 games to 3 in Super Series. Earned first round bye.
  Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
  Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 2 in semi-finals.
  Lost to Oshawa Generals 4 games to 3 in finals.
• 1987-88 Lost to Hamilton Steelhawks 4 games to 0 in first round.
• 1988-89 Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in first round.
  Lost to London Knights 4 games to 3 in quarter-finals.
• 1989-90 Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in first round.
• 1990-91 Defeated Peterborough Petes 4 games to 0 in first round.
  Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
• 1991-92 Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 1 in first round.
  Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
  Defeated Peterborough Petes 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
  Lost to S.S.Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 3 in finals.
• 1992-93 Lost to Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 1 in first round.
• 1993-94 Earned bye through division quarter-finals.
  Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in division semi-finals.
  Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in division finals.
  Defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 3 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
  Eliminated in the Memorial Cup round-robin finishing winless.
• 1994-95 Lost to Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in division quarter-finals.
• 1995-96 Out of playoffs.
• 1996-97 Out of playoffs.
• 1997-98 Out of playoffs.
• 1998-99 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
• 1999-00 Lost to Barrie Colts 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
• 2000-01 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
• 2001-02 Defeated Kingston Frontenacs 6-2 in tie-breaker game for 8th place.
  Lost to St. Michael's Majors 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.

Uniforms & Logos

The North Bay Centennials logo from 1982 to 1999 used the Centennials name and four wheels to form the shape of a locomotive engine. Home jerseys were white with black and gold trim. Away jerseys were black with white and gold trim. North Bay later wore a third jersey with a gold background with black and white trim. Shoulder patches featured a front view of a locomotive on tracks.

The Centennials new logo from 1999 to 2002 was an argry hockey stick wielding railroad engineer above the name of the team. Home jerseys were white with black and gold trim. Away jerseys were black with white and gold trim. The new jerseys had the previous main logo as shoulder patches.

Arena

The Centennials played their home games at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. The Gardens was built in 1955 and currently is home to the North Bay Skyhawks, and also hosted the 1998 OHL All-Star game.

• [North Bay Memorial Gardens] The OHL Arena & Travel Guide

Defunct OHA / OHL Teams

Teams defunct since 1963:

Brantford Alexanders | Cornwall Royals | Detroit Compuware Ambassadors | Detroit Jr. Red Wings | Detroit Whalers | Guelph Platers | Hamilton Dukes | Hamilton Fincups | Hamilton Steelhawks | Kingston Canadians | Kingston Raiders | London Nationals |Montreal Jr. Canadiens | Newmarket Royals | Niagara Falls Flyers | Niagara Falls Thunder | North Bay Centennials | Owen Sound Platers | St. Catharines Black Hawks | St. Catharines Fincups | Toronto Marlboros

Teams defunct prior to 1963:

Barrie Athletic Club | Barrie Canoe Club | Barrie Flyers | Berlin Union Jacks | Brantford Lions | Collingwood ACC | Galt Black Hawks | Galt Red Wings | Galt Rockets | Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters | Guelph Royals | Hamilton Red Wings | Hamilton Szabos | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | Kitchener Canucks | Kitchener Empires | Kitchener Greenshirts | Kitchener Redshirts | Kitchener Union Jacks | Niagara Falls Cataracts | Oakville Lions | Oshawa Generals | Oshawa Majors | Oshawa Shamrocks | Ottawa Shamrocks | Owen Sound Greys | Owen Sound Orphans | Paris Greens | Parkdale Canoe Club | Peterborough Juniors | St. Andrews College | St. Catharines Falcons | St. Catharines Teepees | Stratford Kroehlers | Toronto Aura Lee | Toronto Canoe Club | Toronto Lions | Toronto Moose | Toronto Native Sons | Toronto St. Andrews | Toronto St. Mary's | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Toronto Young Rangers | Waterloo Hurricanes | West Toronto Nationals | Whitby Athletics | Windsor Spitfires

Metro Junior A League teams (1961-1963):

Brampton 7Ups | Oshawa Generals* | Toronto Knob Hill Farms | Toronto Marlboros* | Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons | Toronto St. Michael's Majors* | Unionville Seaforths | Whitby Dunlops | Whitby Mohawks

CHL: | Memorial Cup | OHL | QMJHL | WHL

 

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