Sarnia Legionnaires (1969–)

The Sarnia Legionnaires are a junior ice hockey team based in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Sarnia Legionnaires
CitySarnia, Ontario
LeagueGreater Ontario Junior Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
Founded1969
Home arenaSarnia Arena
(capacity: 2,200)
ColoursBlack, red and white
              
General managerTom Norris
Head coachDerek Di Muzio
CaptainBen Schoch
Affiliate(s)Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Franchise history
1969-1995Sarnia Bees
1995-1999Sarnia Steeplejacks
1999-2001Sarnia Steeplejack-Bees
2001-2008Sarnia Blast
2008-PresentSarnia Legionnaires

History
Sarnia goalie in 2014.
Sarnia player in 2014.

The Sarnia Bees joined the ranks of the current Western Junior "B" league in 1969. The Bees were an upstart team in direct competition with the historic Sarnia Legionnaires of the Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League. By mid-season, the Bees had stolen away most of the Legionnaires fan base and the team was forced to fold.

Over the next quarter century the Bees had some good teams but the club seldom lived up to the legend of the Sarnia Legionnaires.

After dominating the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League during the 1970-71 season, the Bees elected to jump to the Legionnaires' old league, the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League, but the adventure was not overly successful and the Bees returned to the WOJHL the next season. Their experience in Junior A seemingly fueled the Bees during the 1972-73 season as they won the WOJHL championship and went on to defeat the Metro Junior B Hockey League's Toronto Nationals 4-games-to-2 to win Sarnia's first Sutherland Cup since the Sarnia Legionnaires did it in 1968.

In 1983, the Bees were again WOJBHL champions and pushed all the way to the Sutherland Cup finals. In the final, they met the Metro Junior B Hockey League's St. Michael's Buzzers. After a long battle, the Buzzers finished off the Bees in game 7 to deny the franchise of its second Sutherland Cup.

In 1995, it saw the arrival of an Ontario Hockey League known as the Sarnia Sting to the city. To stay out of the shadow of the OHL team, the Bees changed their name to the Steeplejacks. After another couple name changes, the Sarnia franchise became the Sarnia Blast in 2001. The team is a long-standing member of the Western Junior "B" league (WOHL).

In 2002, the Blast won the WOHL championship and qualified for the Sutherland Cup final. In the final they met the Mid-Western Junior B Hockey League's Elmira Sugar Kings. The series went the distance, but the Blast prevailed in game 7 of the series and brought the Sutherland Cup back to Sarnia for the seventh time and the first time in 29 years.

In 2008, the ownership of the Sarnia Blast was transferred to a consortium of local individuals. In memory of the fabled Sarnia Legionnaires of old, the new owners and the local Royal Canadian Legion allowed for the current team to resurrect the name. The new owners said they will put pictures of the original Legionnaires in their dressing room, hoping that will inspire today's young players.

In their first year back under the Legionnaire name after a 38-year absence, the club finished first in the Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Hockey League. In the playoffs, they won the conference championship by eliminating the St. Thomas Stars 4-1 in games, taking out the Strathroy Rockets 4-3 in games and ousting the London Nationals 4-2 in games to win the Weir Cup.

Tyler Cicchini led the way, scoring 18 goals in 22 post season games. That was one more than the record of 17 playoff goals Don Gordon of the original Legionnaires set in the spring of 1968.

The team set a league record in the 2009 playoffs when it scored three goals in 14 seconds in a game against Strathroy.

Sarnia Jr. 'B' hockey teams named the Legionnaires have now won six Western Ontario championships in 17 years of action, along with four Sutherland Cups.

2019–20 Hockey Operations
  • General Manager - Tom Norris
  • Assistant General Manager - Justin Day
  • Director of Hockey Operations - Bob Farlow
  • Head Coach - Derek DiMuzio
  • Assistant Coach - Brad Wilson
  • Assistant Coach - Darren Rogers
  • Assistant Coach - Jordan Pennesi
  • Goalie Coach - Darryl Lennon
  • Trainer - Lee-Ann Ellis
  • Equipment Manager - Dave Anger
  • Equipment Manager - Chris Guthrie
  • Equipment Staff - Matt Churchill
  • Director of Scouting - Darren Ferguson
  • Scout - Dara Emslie

Season-by-season results
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1969-703619125-199158432nd WOJHL
1970-71423282-263143661st WOJHL
1971-7256153110-158200408th SOJAHL
1972-73413434-289144721st WOJHLWon League
Won SC
1973-74403163-275144651st WOJHLWon League
1974-754022135-202161491st WOJHL
1975-764026104-272183562nd WOJHL
1976-774019138-208158462nd WOJHLWon League
1977-784018175-213208413rd WOJHL
1978-794220184-242266444th WOJHL
1979-804225125-246163553rd WOJHL
1980-814226106-236170582nd WOJHL
1981-82423642-290138741st WOJHLWon League
1982-834222146-204172503rd WOJHLLost Final
1983-844832106-262172702nd WOJHLLost Final
1984-854830153-266211633rd WOJHL
1985-864225161-257196513rd WOJHL
1986-874226115-268192573rd WOJHL
1987-8842251340215158543rd WOJHLWon League
1988-894234800312150681st WOJHLWon League
1989-903934311292147701st WOJHLLost Final
1990-9148331410255185673rd WOJHLLost Final
1991-9250271841233221593rd WOJHL West
1992-9352371230--771st WOJHL WestWon League
1993-9451301920295242622nd WOJHL West
1994-9552222703236237473rd WOJHL West
1995-9652222361229231514th WOJHL West
1996-9752113614175281275th WOJHL West
1997-9852182833171233425th WOJHL West
1998-9952113506144256285th WOJHL West
1999-0054371304228161782nd GOHL
2000-0154341811220172704th GOHL
2001-0254361512274190753rd WOJHLWon League
Won SC
2002-0348341211250161702nd WOJHLLost Final
2003-0448321006215151701st WOJHL
2004-0548281334193150633rd WOJHL
2005-0648232203171181496th WOJHLLost Quarter-final
2006-07483112-5225180672nd WOJHLLost Final
2007-08482619-3158149555th GOJHL-WLost Quarter-final
2008-09523711-4228158781st GOJHL-WLost Semi-final RR
2009-10502123-6174176486th GOJHL-WLost Conf. QF
2010-11512424-3198208517th GOJHL-WLost Conf. QF
2011-12513214-5241178691st GOJHL-WLost Conf. SF
2012-13512220-9197195537th GOJHL-WLost Conf. QF
2013-14492918-2217184604th GOJHL-WLost Conf. QF
2014-15493315-1230179673rd GOJHL-WWon Conf. Quarter, 4-2 (St. Thomas)
Lost Conf. Semi, 2-4 (Lasalle)
2015-1650232223157186515th of 9-W
19th of 26		Lost Conf. Quarter, 3-4 (Lasalle)
2016-1750222206163182506th of 9-W
15th of 27		Lost Conf. Quarter, 2-4 (Leamington)
2017-1850291515204173644th of 9-W
10th of 26		Lost Conf. Quarter, 1-4 (St. Thomas)

Playoffs

SOJHL Years

  • 1972 DNQ

Sutherland Cup appearances
1973: Sarnia Bees defeated Toronto Nationals 4-games-to-2
1982: St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Sarnia Bees 4-games-to-3
2002: Sarnia Blast defeated Elmira Sugar Kings 4-games-to-3

Professional Alumni
gollark: Personally, I think that local public transport and short-range intra-city electric cars would be worth considering.
gollark: Batteries' energy density isn't that great right now, sadly.
gollark: Also, they cause pollution indirectly, much like electric cars, although less.
gollark: Not travelling with another person.
gollark: You also have to be:- by yourself- within a short distance of where you want to go- okay with lower speed- not carrying large things
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