283:
290:
The team never regained its strength of the first four seasons. After three poor seasons on the ice from 1992–93 to 1994–95, game attendance was dropping. This, combined with rescheduling of Sunday games to
Saturday nights, and an aging arena with no new arena deal in sight, resulted in the Thunder
233:
Many players graduated from the OHL after that season and the
Thunder began to rebuild for 1989–90. Shortly into the season, growing tensions between team owner Rick Gay and coach Bill LaForge led to the coach being fired. LaForge was never forgiven by the fans for perhaps costing the team a chance
29:
226:
returned with a strong core of players that lead the team to a second-place finish in 1988–89. Niagara Falls reached the OHL finals the first year in their new home city, losing to the
260:
The
Thunder finished the next two seasons in second place, and made it to the third round of the playoffs both years, a feat they managed four years in a row. Coach Burnett was voted
249:
to take over. The team rallied from out of the playoffs to 6th place. Niagara Falls continued its momentum into the third round of the playoffs knocking off the first place
1517:
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51:
1328:
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1378:
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1215:
1179:
412:
204:. The new team was named the Niagara Falls Thunder. The team filled the void left behind when the
110:
349:
1403:
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1323:
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Many players graduated in 1992 for professional careers, and Coach
Burnett was promoted to the
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1174:
458:
404:
254:
181:
1408:
1388:
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222:
The
Thunder picked up on the winning note of the Steelhawks' last season in Hamilton. Coach
215:
130:
1348:
1333:
1282:
1220:
1184:
633:
508:
364:
242:
200:
Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the
28:
1353:
1287:
1261:
1230:
1189:
250:
1491:
583:
578:
568:
523:
513:
306:
was voted the OHL Coach of the Year in the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons, winning the
1436:
1292:
1251:
1210:
603:
563:
553:
543:
319:
235:
223:
1246:
608:
593:
538:
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168:
598:
282:
276:
573:
558:
528:
1122:
548:
1129:
310:
in only his first and second full seasons as a head coach in the OHL.
281:
1133:
264:
for 1990–91 and 1991–92. Both years their playoff nemesis, the
214:
1311:
1275:
1239:
1203:
1167:
164:
156:
146:
136:
126:
116:
106:
96:
91:
83:
73:
57:
47:
35:
21:
286:The uniform history of the Niagara Falls Thunder
241:The Thunder hired the younger and up-and-coming
1113:The Niagara Falls Thunder played home games at
1145:
8:
1152:
1138:
1130:
18:
188:from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in
16:Ice hockey team in Niagara Falls, Ontario
950:
629:
1518:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1996
268:, eliminated them in the semi-finals.
7:
1513:Ice hockey clubs established in 1988
1508:Defunct ice hockey teams in Ontario
1498:Defunct Ontario Hockey League teams
357:- L.Marson, Randy Hall, C.Johnstone
1126:- The OHL Arena & Travel Guide
14:
1528:1996 disestablishments in Ontario
401:CHL Defenceman of the Year Award
27:
1503:Sport in Niagara Falls, Ontario
492:, Scholastic Player of the Year
131:Hamilton/St. Catharines Fincups
1523:1988 establishments in Ontario
1:
1339:Detroit Compuware Ambassadors
415:, Most Outstanding Defenceman
1419:Toronto St. Michael's Majors
1123:Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
1115:Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
463:Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
445:Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
433:, Overage Player of the Year
429:, Top Scoring Right Winger,
409:Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
78:Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
1298:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
461:, Most Outstanding Player;
431:Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
407:, Most Outstanding Player;
266:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1544:
477:OHL Goaltender of the Year
279:with the team in 1992–93.
1427:
427:Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
295:, to play as the Otters.
26:
1344:Detroit Junior Red Wings
275:of the AHL. He won the
1384:Mississauga Steelheads
397:CHL Player of the Year
327:- B.LaForge, G.Burnett
287:
219:
190:Niagara Falls, Ontario
41:Niagara Falls, Ontario
1442:J. Ross Robertson Cup
1399:North Bay Centennials
1394:Niagara Falls Thunder
1161:Ontario Hockey League
285:
253:before losing to the
218:
186:Ontario Hockey League
178:Niagara Falls Thunder
160:Niagara Falls Thunder
52:Ontario Hockey League
22:Niagara Falls Thunder
1329:Brantford Alexanders
411:, Scoring Champion;
206:Niagara Falls Flyers
141:Brantford Alexanders
87:Red, white and black
1379:Mississauga IceDogs
1364:Hamilton Steelhawks
1226:North Bay Battalion
1216:Brampton Steelheads
1180:Kingston Frontenacs
1117:from 1988 to 1996.
413:Max Kaminsky Trophy
202:Hamilton Steelhawks
151:Hamilton Steelhawks
111:Hamilton Tiger Cubs
1404:Owen Sound Platers
1369:Kingston Canadians
1324:Brampton Battalion
1195:Peterborough Petes
1175:Brantford Bulldogs
490:Bobby Smith Trophy
465:, Scoring Champion
447:, Scoring Champion
308:Matt Leyden Trophy
293:Erie, Pennsylvania
288:
273:Cape Breton Oilers
245:' assistant coach
228:Peterborough Petes
220:
121:Hamilton Red Wings
1485:
1484:
1414:Toronto Marlboros
1303:Windsor Spitfires
1267:Owen Sound Attack
1257:Kitchener Rangers
1106:
1105:
1093:W, 4-2 Owen Sound
1074:L, 4-2 Owen Sound
1055:L, 4-0 Owen Sound
1001:W, 4-2 Owen Sound
944:
943:
665:
459:Red Tilson Trophy
405:Red Tilson Trophy
372:- Chris Johnstone
262:Coach of the Year
255:Kitchener Rangers
182:junior ice hockey
174:
173:
101:Windsor Spitfires
92:Franchise history
1535:
1409:Plymouth Whalers
1389:Newmarket Royals
1374:Kingston Raiders
1319:Belleville Bulls
1240:Midwest Division
1204:Central Division
1154:
1147:
1140:
1131:
1042:L 4-1 S.S. Marie
1023:L 4-0 S.S. Marie
1017:W, 4-2 Kitchener
1004:L, 4-1 Kitchener
951:
663:
630:
504:Jason Bonsignore
342:- George Burnett
68:
66:
43:
31:
19:
1543:
1542:
1538:
1537:
1536:
1534:
1533:
1532:
1488:
1487:
1486:
1481:
1423:
1349:Detroit Whalers
1334:Cornwall Royals
1307:
1283:Flint Firebirds
1271:
1235:
1221:Niagara IceDogs
1199:
1185:Oshawa Generals
1163:
1158:
1111:
949:
662:
657:
628:
623:
618:
509:Brandon Convery
499:
385:
380:
375:
365:Chris Johnstone
301:
243:Oshawa Generals
198:
64:
62:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1541:
1539:
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1530:
1525:
1520:
1515:
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1428:
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1424:
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1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1359:Hamilton Dukes
1356:
1354:Guelph Platers
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1315:
1313:
1309:
1308:
1306:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1288:Saginaw Spirit
1285:
1279:
1277:
1273:
1272:
1270:
1269:
1264:
1262:London Knights
1259:
1254:
1249:
1243:
1241:
1237:
1236:
1234:
1233:
1231:Sudbury Wolves
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1171:
1169:
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1159:
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1156:
1149:
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1128:
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1110:
1107:
1104:
1103:
1100:
1097:
1094:
1091:
1085:
1084:
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1078:
1075:
1072:
1066:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1047:
1046:
1043:
1040:
1037:
1036:W, 4-3 Detroit
1034:
1028:
1027:
1024:
1021:
1020:W, 4-0 Windsor
1018:
1015:
1009:
1008:
1005:
1002:
999:
996:
990:
989:
983:
980:
977:
976:W, 4-0 Windsor
974:
968:
967:
964:
961:
958:
955:
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942:
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938:
935:
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679:
676:
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669:
666:
659:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
636:
627:
626:Regular season
624:
622:
621:Yearly results
619:
617:
616:
611:
606:
601:
596:
591:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
561:
556:
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546:
541:
536:
531:
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521:
516:
511:
506:
500:
498:
495:
494:
493:
479:
466:
448:
434:
416:
384:
381:
379:
376:
374:
373:
367:
358:
352:
343:
337:
335:George Burnett
328:
322:
312:
304:George Burnett
300:
297:
251:London Knights
247:George Burnett
197:
194:
172:
171:
166:
162:
161:
158:
154:
153:
148:
144:
143:
138:
134:
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118:
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108:
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59:
55:
54:
49:
45:
44:
37:
33:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1540:
1529:
1526:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1514:
1511:
1509:
1506:
1504:
1501:
1499:
1496:
1495:
1493:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1460:
1458:
1457:OHA standings
1455:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1440:
1438:
1435:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1426:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1314:
1312:Defunct teams
1310:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1276:West Division
1274:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1238:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1168:East Division
1166:
1162:
1155:
1150:
1148:
1143:
1141:
1136:
1135:
1132:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1108:
1101:
1098:
1096:L, 4-0 Guelph
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1082:
1079:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1060:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1048:
1044:
1041:
1039:W, 4-1 London
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1022:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1006:
1003:
1000:
998:W, 4-2 London
997:
995:
992:
991:
988:
987:Peterborough
984:
982:W, 4-3 London
981:
978:
975:
973:
970:
969:
965:
962:
959:
956:
953:
952:
946:
939:
936:
933:
930:
927:
924:
921:
918:
915:
913:
910:
909:
905:
902:
899:
896:
893:
890:
887:
884:
881:
879:
876:
875:
871:
868:
865:
862:
859:
856:
853:
850:
847:
845:
842:
841:
837:
834:
831:
828:
825:
822:
819:
816:
813:
811:
808:
807:
803:
800:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
782:
779:
777:
774:
773:
769:
766:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
748:
745:
743:
740:
739:
735:
732:
729:
726:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
709:
706:
705:
701:
698:
695:
692:
689:
686:
683:
680:
677:
675:
672:
671:
667:
660:
655:
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
635:
632:
631:
625:
620:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
584:Keith Primeau
582:
580:
579:Scott Pearson
577:
575:
572:
570:
569:Keith Osborne
567:
565:
562:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
534:Mark Lawrence
532:
530:
527:
525:
524:Bryan Fogarty
522:
520:
517:
515:
514:Greg de Vries
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
501:
496:
491:
487:
483:
480:
478:
474:
470:
467:
464:
460:
456:
452:
449:
446:
442:
441:Keith Primeau
438:
435:
432:
428:
424:
420:
417:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
393:Bryan Fogarty
390:
387:
386:
383:Award winners
382:
377:
371:
368:
366:
362:
359:
356:
353:
351:
347:
344:
341:
338:
336:
332:
329:
326:
323:
321:
317:
314:
313:
311:
309:
305:
298:
296:
294:
284:
280:
278:
274:
269:
267:
263:
258:
256:
252:
248:
244:
239:
237:
231:
229:
225:
217:
213:
211:
208:departed for
207:
203:
195:
193:
191:
187:
183:
179:
170:
167:
163:
159:
155:
152:
149:
145:
142:
139:
135:
132:
129:
125:
122:
119:
115:
112:
109:
105:
102:
99:
95:
90:
86:
82:
79:
76:
72:
60:
56:
53:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
25:
20:
1437:Memorial Cup
1393:
1293:Sarnia Sting
1252:Guelph Storm
1211:Barrie Colts
1121:
1112:
986:
940:3rd Central
906:4th Central
604:Steve Staios
564:Ethan Moreau
554:Shawn McCosh
544:Manny Legace
486:Ethan Moreau
485:
481:
473:Manny Legace
472:
468:
454:
450:
440:
436:
422:
418:
392:
388:
369:
360:
354:
350:Larry Marson
345:
339:
330:
324:
320:Bill LaForge
315:
303:
302:
289:
270:
259:
240:
236:Memorial Cup
232:
224:Bill LaForge
221:
199:
184:team in the
177:
175:
165:1996–present
1452:OHL seasons
1447:OHL history
1247:Erie Otters
1190:Ottawa 67's
609:Dennis Vial
594:Mike Rosati
589:John Purves
539:Jamie Leach
519:Stan Drulia
423:Stan Drulia
169:Erie Otters
1492:Categories
1467:CHL Awards
1462:OHL Awards
653:Pct %
614:Jason Ward
599:Todd Simon
497:NHL alumni
455:Todd Simon
291:moving to
277:Calder Cup
212:in 1982.
74:Home arena
963:3rd round
960:2nd round
957:1st round
872:8th Emms
838:5th Emms
804:2nd Emms
770:2nd Emms
736:6th Emms
702:2nd Emms
668:Standing
574:Jeff Paul
559:Jay McKee
529:Paul Laus
238:in 1989.
210:North Bay
157:1988–1996
147:1984–1988
137:1978–1984
127:1974–1978
117:1960–1974
107:1953–1960
97:1946–1953
947:Playoffs
549:Brad May
58:Operated
1089:1995-96
1070:1994-95
1051:1992-93
1032:1991-92
1013:1990-91
994:1989-90
972:1988-89
966:Finals
912:1995–96
878:1994–95
844:1993–94
810:1992–93
776:1991–92
742:1990–91
708:1989–90
674:1988–89
664:against
482:1993–94
469:1991–92
451:1991–92
437:1989–90
419:1988–89
389:1988–89
378:Players
370:1995–96
361:1994–95
355:1993–94
346:1992–93
340:1991–92
331:1990–91
325:1989–90
316:1988–89
299:Coaches
234:of the
196:History
84:Colours
63: (
985:L 4-2
954:Season
650:Points
634:Season
399:&
180:was a
48:League
1472:QMJHL
1109:Arena
931:0.492
897:0.333
863:0.348
829:0.492
795:0.621
761:0.659
727:0.379
693:0.636
661:Goals
656:Goals
638:Games
647:Tied
644:Lost
176:The
65:1988
61:1988
36:City
1477:WHL
1432:CHL
979:Bye
937:238
934:248
903:298
900:231
869:352
866:277
835:274
832:299
801:254
798:307
767:259
764:335
733:355
730:278
699:319
696:410
658:for
641:Won
403:;
69:–96
1494::
1102:-
1083:-
1064:—
1045:—
1026:—
1007:—
928:65
922:30
919:29
916:66
894:44
888:40
885:18
882:66
860:46
854:41
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