Aurora Tigers
CityAurora, Ontario, Canada
LeagueOntario Junior Hockey League
FoundedCirca 1967
Home arenaAurora Community Centre
ColoursBlack, yellow, white      
Owner(s)Jim Thomson
PresidentJim Thomson
General managerSierra Costa
Head coachThomas Milne
MediaFasthockey
Website
Franchise history
1967–1985Aurora Tigers
1986–1993Aurora Eagles
1993–PresentAurora Tigers

The Aurora Tigers are a Canadian ice hockey team from Aurora, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team has previously played in the Metro Junior A Hockey League, Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, and the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

History

The Aurora Tigers were first formed in 1967 as a member of the Metro Junior "B" league. In 1972, the most viable teams were pulled from the Metro and into the OHA Junior "A" league. The Tigers stayed on board until 1985, and as the financial situation of the league changed and became less viable, the Tigers folded.

In 1987, Aurora's financial interests were intrigued into coming back. With the OHA Jr. "A" now folded, the Central Junior "B" and Metro Junior "B" were consistently being judged as the heirs to the Junior "A" title. The Aurora Eagles joined the Central Junior "B" league and stayed there until 1992.

In 1991, tired of the indecisiveness of the Ontario Hockey Association in creating the next Junior "A" league, the now renegade Metro Junior "B" league declared themselves Southern Ontario's only Tier II Junior "A" league. The league even helped form the Canadian Junior A Hockey League in 1993. The forwardness of the new Junior "A" league drew the interest of the Aurora franchise. They joined the league in 1992, reverting to the old "Tigers" nickname. The Tigers won the Metro league title in 1997 and moved to the OPJHL—a year before the Metro folded.

A new era of the Tigers started in 1997. The old Central Junior "B" league was promoted to Tier II Junior "A" in 1993 and became the OPJHL. Since 1997, the Tigers have had winning seasons 8 out of 9 seasons. In 2002–03, the Tigers had an amazing season (only losing 3 times) but came away with no hardware in the playoffs. In 2003–04, the Tigers had an unbelievable season. With a 47–2–0–0 record, the Tigers won the Buckland Cup as OPJHL Playoff Champions, the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions, and the Royal Bank Cup as Canadian Junior "A" National Champions.

2003–04 season and playoffs

Dudley Hewitt Cup

The Tigers gained a ticket to the Dudley Hewitt Cup by winning the Buckland Cup as OPJHL champions. The Tigers started out against the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Soo failed to win their league but gained a ticket to the DHC as their competitor in the final was the DHC Host. The game proved to be close, but the Tigers prevailed, 3–1. In the second game, the Tigers faced the Fort William North Stars, champions of the Superior International Junior Hockey League. The Tigers shut down their tough opponents with a 4–0 win. The North Stars, of a relatively new league, are the elite of the Thunder Bay area. Their third game saw them defeat the NOJHL Champion North Bay Skyhawks, 5–3, which earned them a bye to the DHC final.

The North Bay Skyhawks defeated the Fort William North Stars in the semi-final to meet the Aurora Tigers in the DHC final. The final, to determine a birth to the Royal Bank Cup 2004, ended up in a decisive 5–1 victory for the Tigers.

Royal Bank Cup 2004

The Aurora Tigers started off their Royal Bank Cup 2004 tournament against a well-rested host team, the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The Storm defeated the Tigers by a score of 4–2, their last loss of the season. Game two was against the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League, the Doyle Cup Champions, defeating them 4–2. The next game pitted the Tigers against the Anavet Cup Champions Kindersley Klippers from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Tigers won by a score of 5–0. The fourth round robin game saw the Tigers defeat the Fred Page Cup Champion Nepean Raiders of the Central Junior A Hockey League by a score of 3–1.

The Tigers finished tied for first in the round robin, but second by tie breaker. In the semi-final, they drew the Nepean Raiders again but this time beat them in convincing fashion 7–2. Kindersley upset the hosts 4–3 in the other Semi-final, drawing a lopsided 7–1 victory for the Tigers against the Klippers in the Final, earning them their first Royal Bank Cup.

2006–07 season and playoffs

Aurora @ Royal Bank Cup 2007

The Tigers finished the 2006–07 season with the top record in the OPJHL and as the top ranked team in all of the CJAHL—44 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie.

In the playoffs, they first swept the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 4-games-to-none. They then beat the Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-2. In the Division final, they defeated the Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-1. In the Conference final, they defeated the Hamilton Red Wings 4-games-to-1 and then defeated the Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1 to clinch the Buckland Cup as OPJHL Champions.

Dudley Hewitt Cup

In late April, the Tigers drove North to Iroquois Falls, Ontario to compete for their second Dudley Hewitt Cup. In the tourney opener, the Tigers defeated the NOJHL Champion Soo Indians 4–1. They then went the next night and beat the SIJHL Champion Schreiber Diesels 6–3. In the final game of the round robin, the Tiger beat up the host Abitibi Eskimos 7–0 to clinch first place and a bye to the tournament final. In the final game, the Tigers defeated Schreiber Diesels 10–0, having outshot them 67–23 and earning a birth to the Royal Bank Cup 2007.

Royal Bank Cup 2007

The Tigers started off with a 4–2 win over the Selkirk Steelers (MJHL). Aurora then suffered a disappointing loss to the Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL), 5–3. They then took out their frustration on the host Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) with a 6–3 victory and then flexed some muscle with a 7–4 dismantling of their most anticipated opponent, the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL). With a 3–1 record in the round robin, the Tiger clinched first place and the early semi-final against the 4th seed Pembroke Lumber Kings. The rematch was ugly, with the Lumber Kings leading 2–1 at one point. The Tigers tied up the game to force overtime and then tournament MVP, Top Forward, and Scoring Champion Daniel Michalsky scored the winner early in the extra frame. The Tigers went on to face Prince George in the final as they had disposed of Camrose 3–2 in fifth overtime the night before. By early in the third, the Tigers had built up a 3–0 lead and held on to win 3–1 to win their second Royal Bank Cup in four years.

Accolades

The Tigers finished the season with a combined 73 wins, 10 losses, and 1 tie. Their 2006–07 accolades include the Regular Season Crown, the #1 CJAHL National Ranking, the North Division Championship, the North/West Conference Championship, the OPJHL Buckland Cup, the Ontario Hockey Association Championship, the Ontario Hockey Federation Championship, the Dudley Hewitt Cup, and the Royal Bank Cup as the Best Junior "A" Team in Canada.

Season-by-season results

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1950–51206140-74127126th Metro BDid not qualify
1953–54329230-105191188th Metro BDid not qualify
1954–55Suburban C
1955–56166100-----125th Suburban DDNQ
1956–57201631-----331st Suburban CLost semi-final (Brooklin)
1957–582613121-----274th Suburban CLost semi-final (Brooklin)
1958–592818100-152106363rd Metro BWon League (West Toronto)
Lost SC Final (Sarnia)
1959–602810117-127132275th Metro BLost quarter-final (Toronto)
1960–61Did Not Participate
1961–623214135-171175333rd Metro B
1962–63231742-----361st SubJCHLLost semi-final (Stouffville)
1963–64282251-----451st SubJCHLLost final (Lindsay)
1964–65268171-----177th SubJCHLLost final (Lindsay)
1965–66322543-----491st SubJCHL
1966–67302523-17788531st SubJCHLWon League (Georgetown)
Lost CSC Final (New Hamburg)
1967–68367263-1512431710th Metro BDid not qualify
1968–693615156-150149365th Metro B
1969–703617145-166145396th Metro BLost quarter-final (Markham)
1970–714417216-218197407th Metro B
1971–724417207-165195417th Metro B
1972–734420204-194190445th OPJHLLost quarter-final (Toronto)
1973–744424128-221180565th OPJHLLost final (Wexford)
1974–754420168-192178487th OPJHLLost quarter-final (Wexford)
1975–764415218-1752033811th OPJHLDid not qualify
1976–774419178-198188465th OPJHLLost quarter-final (North Bay)
1977–785023225-278278515th OPJHLLost quarter-final (Dixie)
1978–795017294-212267388th OPJHLLost quarter-final (Dixie)
1979–804426144-291224563rd OPJHLLost semi-final (Royal York)
1980–814415290-2212803011th OPJHLDid not qualify
1981–825031154-310252663rd OJHLLost quarter-final (Markham)
1982–83489336-197319249th OJHLDid not qualify
1983–84424344-168370128th OJHLLost quarter-final (Dixie)
1984–854834113-358210712nd OJHLLost final (Orillia)
Lost DHC Final (Orillia)
Lost MCC Semi-final (Penticton)
1985–86Did Not Participate
1986–874425154-270225542nd OJHLLost final (Owen Sound)
1987–884425136-248194564th CJBHLLost Division Semi-final (Barrie)
1988–894217223-207214379th CJBHLLost Division Quarter-final (Vaughan)
1989–904211247-1602072913th CJBHLLost Division Quarter-final (Newmarket)
1990–914222155-205170495th CJBHLLost Division Final (Orillia)
1991–924222155-201185496th CJBHLLost final (Milton)
1992–934824222-227221506th Metro ALost quarter-final (Muskoka)
1993–945020264-2352684410th Metro ADid not qualify
1994–955026177-232177594th Metro ALost quarter-final (St. Michael's)
1995–965228186-255206626th Metro ALost quarter-final (Niagara)
1996–97504253-342138871st Metro AWon League (Caledon)
1997–9851271761226196613rd OPJHL-PLost Division Semi-final (Newmarket)
1998–9951311262216155704th OPJHL-CLost Division Semi-final (Collingwood)
1999-0047271550150130594th OPJHL-NLost Division Quarter-final (Stouffville)
2000–0149182902189271385th OPJHL-NLost Division Quarter-final (Collingwood)
2001–0249301531193150643rd OPJHL-NLost Conference Final (Brampton)
2002–034944221265103891st OPJHL-NLost final (Wellington)
2003–04494720029079941st OPJHL-NWon League (St. Michael's)
Won DHC (North Bay)
Won RBC (Kindersley)
2004–0549331321222136691st OPJHL-NLost Conference Final (Georgetown)
2005–064935842210112761st OPJHL-NLost Division Final (Stouffville)
2006–07494441026099891st OPJHL-NWon League (Wellington)
Won DHC (Schreiber)
Won RBC (Prince George)
2007–08493312-4250138703rd OPJHL-NLost Conference Final (Oakville
2008–09493711-1228150753rd OJHL-PLost Division Semi-final (Huntsville)
2009–10563218-6265227707th OJAHLLost quarter-final (Oakville)
2010–11502225-3161207456th OJHL-NDid not qualify
2011–12492813-8188163643rd OJHL-NLost Division Semi-final (Stouffville)
2012–13553217-6186156701st OJHL-NLost Conference Quarter-final (Lindsay)
2013–14533812-3220122791st OJHL-NLost final (Lakeshore)
2014–15----------
2015–1654281718174137652nd of 6 Nor Div
7th of 11 NE Conf
14th of 22 OJHL		Lost Conf. Quarters 2–4 (Dukes)
2016–175493924125257245th of 6 Nor Div
11th of 11 NE Conf
20th of 22 OJHL		Did not qualify
2017–1854361215224128781st of 6 Nor Div
1st of 11 NE Conf
5th of 22 OJHL		Won Conf. Quarters 4–2 (Golden Hawks)
Won Conf. Semifinals 4–1 (Cougars)
Lost NE Conf Finals 1–4 (Dukes)

Playoffs

Original OPJHL Years

  • 1973 Lost quarter-final
Toronto Nationals defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
  • 1974 Lost final
Aurora Tigers defeated Seneca Flyers 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-none
Wexford Raiders defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 1975 Lost quarter-final
Wexford Raiders defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
  • 1976 DNQ
  • 1977 Lost quarter-final
North Bay Trappers defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-3
  • 1978 Lost quarter-final
Dixie Beehives defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 1979 Lost quarter-final
Dixie Beehives defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
  • 1980 Lost semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Belleville Bulls 4-games-to-3
Royal York Royals defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
  • 1981 DNQ
  • 1982 Lost quarter-final
Markham Waxers defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 1983 DNQ
  • 1984 Lost quarter-final
Dixie Beehives defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated North York Red Wings 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Flyers 4-games-to-3
Orillia Travelways defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL) 4-games-to-none
Third in 1985 Centennial Cup round robin (1–2)
Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated Aurora Tigers 8–5 in semi-final
  • 1986 Did Not Participate
  • 1987 Lost final
Aurora Eagles defeated Richmond Hill Dynes 4-games-to-2
Owen Sound Greys defeated Aurora Eagles 4-games-to-none

MetJHL Years

  • 1993 Lost quarter-final
Aurora Eagles defeated Bramalea Blues 3-games-to-1
Muskoka Bears defeated Aurora Eagles 4-games-to-2
  • 1994 DNQ
  • 1995 Lost quarter-final
St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Aurora Eagles 4-games-to-2
  • 1996 Lost quarter-final
Niagara Scenic defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-3
  • 1997 Won League
Aurora Tigers defeated Durham Huskies 4-games-to-none
Second in round robin quarter-final (4–2)
Aurora Tigers defeated Quinte Hawks 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Caledon Canadians 4-games-to-none METJHL CHAMPIONS

OJHL Years

  • 1998 Lost Division Semi-final
Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 1999 Lost Division Semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Markham Waxers 3-games-to-1
Collingwood Blues defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 2000 Lost Division Quarter-final
Stouffville Spirit defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
  • 2001 Lost Division Quarter-final
Collingwood Blues defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 2002 Lost Conference Final
Aurora Tigers defeated Parry Sound Shamrocks 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Couchiching Terriers 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-none
Brampton Capitals defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none
  • 2003 Lost final
Aurora Tigers defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Georgetown Raiders 4-games-to-1
Wellington Dukes defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Oakville Blades 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2 OPJHL CHAMPIONS
First in Dudley Hewitt Cup round robin (3–0) RUDDOCK TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Aurora Tigers defeated North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) 5–1 in final DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS
Second in 2004 Royal Bank Cup round robin (3–1)
Aurora Tigers defeated Nepean Raiders (CJHL) 7–2 in semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) 7–1 in final ROYAL BANK CUP CHAMPIONS
  • 2005 Lost Conference Final
Aurora Tigers defeated Syracuse Jr. Crunch 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Huntsville-Muskoka Otters 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
Georgetown Raiders defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-3
  • 2006 Lost Division Final
Aurora Tigers defeated Bancroft Hawks 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-1
Stouffville Spirit defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Buffalo Jr. Sabres 4-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
Aurora Tigers defeated Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Hamilton Red Wings 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1 OPJHL CHAMPIONS
First in Dudley Hewitt Cup round robin (3–0) RUDDOCK TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Aurora Tigers defeated Schreiber Diesels (SIJHL) 10–0 in final DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS
First in 2007 Royal Bank Cup round robin (3–1)
Aurora Tigers defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) 3–2 OT in semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) 3–1 in final ROYAL BANK CUP CHAMPIONS
  • 2008 Lost Conference Final
Aurora Tigers defeated Orangeville Crushers 3-games-to-none
Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
Aurora Tigers defeated Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-1
Oakville Blades defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
  • 2009 Lost Division Semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 3-games-to-1
Huntsville Otters defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
  • 2010 Lost OJAHL Quarter-final
Oakville Blades defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1
  • 2011 DNQ
  • 2012 Lost Division Semi-final
Aurora Tigers defeated Orangeville Flyers 3-games-to-1
Stouffville Spirit defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1

Sutherland Cup appearances

1959: Sarnia Legionnaires defeated Aurora Bruins 4-games-to-2 with 1 tie

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Rick Morocco Hockey Stats and Profile". Hockey Database. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
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