Owen Sound Attack


The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Based in Owen Sound since 1989, and operating under the current name since 2000, the Attack play their home games at the J.D. McArthur Arena inside the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

History

The Owen Sound OHL franchise was born when the Holody family moved the Guelph Platers to the city for the 1989–90 OHL season. The team kept the name of Owen Sound Platers.
The Owen Sound Attack were born in the late summer of the year 2000 as a community-based OHL franchise. When the Holody family decided to sell the Owen Sound Platers buyers were sought from any city.
Several local Owen Sound business people realized that an out-of-town buyer would mean losing the team to relocation. The most mentioned former OHL city was Cornwall, Ontario. This local business group banded together to purchase the team. After a bidding war and a summer-long legal battle with another suitor, the team remained in Owen Sound.
The ownership group elected for a name change and came up with the more modern sounding "Owen Sound Attack". The 2004–05 season was the best regular season in the OHL history of Owen Sound. General Manager Mike Futa was recognized by the OHL for his work in building the team with the OHL Executive of the Year award. The club also played host to the OHL All-Star Classic in 2005.
In 2010-11, the Attack wore the jerseys of the 1951 Allan Cup Champion Owen Sound Mercurys as a throwback third jersey.
On April 27, 2011, the Owen Sound Attack earned their first OHL Conference Championship and their first berth in the Memorial Cup tournament since relocating from Guelph with a 10-4 win over the defending champion Windsor Spitfires and a result of the Memorial Cup host team, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors winning their conference series, 4-1 over the Niagara IceDogs.
On May 15, 2011, the Attack won their first J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions, also since relocating from Guelph with a 3-2 overtime win over the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors in the seventh game of the OHL finals.
As of the end of the 2013/2014 season, the Attack were one of five OHL teams to win 30 or more games in the past four seasons, joining London, Guelph, Saginaw and Oshawa.
The Attack set a new franchise attendance mark in 2011/2012 of 97,619 fans and set a new record the following year, eclipsing the 100,000 mark in 2012/2013 and again in 2013/2014.

Coaches

List of Owen Sound Attack coaches with multiple seasons in parentheses.

Players

won the 1992–93 Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the top scorer in the OHL with 62 Goals, 100 Assists and 162 Points. He also tied for the Canadian Hockey League's scoring lead. Brunette was selected by the Washington Capitals 174th overall in the 7th round of 1993 NHL Entry Draft.
Jamie Storr was the 1993–94 OHL Goaltender of the Year. Storr was the starting goalie for back-to-back World Junior Hockey Championship Gold medals in 1993 and 1994. In the 1994 NHL Entry Draft he became what was then the highest-drafted goaltender overall in NHL history, by the Los Angeles Kings, 7th overall.
Dan Snyder, a former captain of the Owen Sound Platers, had his number 14 retired by the Owen Sound Attack in 2003. He is remembered in Owen Sound for his leadership on and off the ice. Snyder was twice voted his team's Humanitarian of the Year. Snyder died from injuries suffered in a vehicular accident in 2003 after just beginning his NHL career with the Atlanta Thrashers, and the Ontario Hockey League renamed its Humanitarian of the Year award posthumously in his honour.

NHL alumni

Regular season

Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss

Playoffs

Lost to Niagara Falls Thunder 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 0 in division semi-finals.
Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to London Knights 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 1 in conference finals.
Defeated Mississauga Majors 4 games to 3 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished Memorial Cup round-robin in third place.
Lost to Kootenay Ice 7-3 in tie-breaking game.
Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 2 in conference finals.
Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.

Arena

The Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre received extensive renovations beginning in 2001.
Private boxes and a restaurant were added, as well as upgrading the facility in general. The arena hosted the 2005 OHL All-Star Classic.
The Bayshore Community Centre is also home to the Owen Sound Rams of the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League, and the Owen Sound Woodsmen of the OLA Senior B Lacrosse League.