Roanoke Valley Rampage
Encyclopedia
The Roanoke Valley Rampage were a minor league hockey franchise in the ECHL
during the 1992-93 season. The Rampage played their games at the LancerLot in Vinton, Virginia
. The Rampage had played from 1988-90 as the Virginia Lancers
, played as the Roanoke Valley Rebels between 1990–92, and were rebranded as the Rampage.
The 1992-93 Rampage put together what is considered to be one of the worst seasons in ECHL history. The Rampage would start out with moderate success, which included a four game winning streak at home, and a 6-6 record, which had the team two points out of second place after the first month of the season
The Rampage set several records that season, including fewest wins in a season (14), lowest winning percentage (.227), fewest points (29), most consecutive road losses (26), fewest road wins (2), and most road losses (29 of a possible 31), all records that are still standing in the present-day ECHL. The Rampage would also set a record for lowest average attendance in a season with an average of 1,483 fans per game.
The Rampage would also allow a league-worst 6.05 GAA and 387 goals against in 64 games. Both were records until the Huntington Blizzard eclipsed the marks with a 6.07 GAA and 413 goals against in 68 games.
6-2 with 6:03 left in the 2nd period. Officials decided to call the game due to structural damage within the LancerLot Arena. A beam supporting the arena started to buckle due to the 16 inches of snow on the roof and 40 mph winds outside. All 63 fans (believed to also be an ECHL record for lowest paid attendance) were told to leave the arena, along with officials, players, coaches, and arena employees.
9-4. Three Admirals players (Kurt Kabat, Victor Gervais and Brian Martin) would score hat trick
s in this game. At the completion of the game, the Admirals fans would give the Rampage a standing ovation.
owner Tom Ebright, but later said that it was "unlikely I'd sell it, period. But it's not something I haven't done in the past." Revo also considered the option of relocating to Huntsville
.
Revo would later move the team to Huntsville, but would sell the team to Huntsville Hockey Inc., a local ownership group, less than a month into the 1993-94 ECHL season.
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
during the 1992-93 season. The Rampage played their games at the LancerLot in Vinton, Virginia
Vinton, Virginia
Vinton is a town in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,782 at the 2000 census. It hosted teams by three names in the ECHL in a custom built facility known as the LancerLot; after the roof collapsed during the Blizzard of 1993, the franchise moved to the Roanoke Civic...
. The Rampage had played from 1988-90 as the Virginia Lancers
Virginia Lancers
The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...
, played as the Roanoke Valley Rebels between 1990–92, and were rebranded as the Rampage.
History
The Rampage were owned by New York businessman Larry Revo, who bought the team from ECHL founder Henry Brabham for $250,000 in the summer of 1992The 1992-93 Rampage put together what is considered to be one of the worst seasons in ECHL history. The Rampage would start out with moderate success, which included a four game winning streak at home, and a 6-6 record, which had the team two points out of second place after the first month of the season
The Rampage set several records that season, including fewest wins in a season (14), lowest winning percentage (.227), fewest points (29), most consecutive road losses (26), fewest road wins (2), and most road losses (29 of a possible 31), all records that are still standing in the present-day ECHL. The Rampage would also set a record for lowest average attendance in a season with an average of 1,483 fans per game.
The Rampage would also allow a league-worst 6.05 GAA and 387 goals against in 64 games. Both were records until the Huntington Blizzard eclipsed the marks with a 6.07 GAA and 413 goals against in 68 games.
Arena Collapse
Weather eventually played a factor into the Rampage only lasting one season. On March 13, 1993, the Rampage were trailing the Richmond RenegadesRichmond Renegades
The Richmond Renegades was a SPHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia. The team, owned by Allan B. Harvie Jr., the founder of the former ECHL Renegades franchise, began play in October 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum. The team's first head coach was John Brophy...
6-2 with 6:03 left in the 2nd period. Officials decided to call the game due to structural damage within the LancerLot Arena. A beam supporting the arena started to buckle due to the 16 inches of snow on the roof and 40 mph winds outside. All 63 fans (believed to also be an ECHL record for lowest paid attendance) were told to leave the arena, along with officials, players, coaches, and arena employees.
Season Finale
The Rampage would finish their season without equipment, all of it still buried in the rubble of the Lancerlot Arena and with a roster of 11 players: nine skaters and two goalies. They would make the trip to the Norfolk Scope and play their final game as the Rampage on March 16, 1993, a game that would be delayed twice due to weather and the Rampage being unwilling to abandon their equipment. The Rampage would end up borrowing jerseys (red and black with no logo, formerly owned by the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds) from a local recreation league team. The Rampage would also use two players, Ed Dearborn and Dave Silver, from a local Virginia Beach recreation league to fill out their roster. Dearborn was an employee at the nearby Iceland Skating Rink in Virginia Beach, and Silver was a car salesman. They would lose to the Hampton Roads AdmiralsHampton Roads Admirals
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
9-4. Three Admirals players (Kurt Kabat, Victor Gervais and Brian Martin) would score hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
s in this game. At the completion of the game, the Admirals fans would give the Rampage a standing ovation.
Relocation of team
After the collapse of the LancerLot Arena, owner Larry Revo considered both selling and relocating the team. Initially, Revo has discussions of selling the team to Baltimore SkipjacksBaltimore Skipjacks
The Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor professional ice hockey team in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League. They played in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena.-History:...
owner Tom Ebright, but later said that it was "unlikely I'd sell it, period. But it's not something I haven't done in the past." Revo also considered the option of relocating to Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
Revo would later move the team to Huntsville, but would sell the team to Huntsville Hockey Inc., a local ownership group, less than a month into the 1993-94 ECHL season.
Season-by-season results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | GF | GA | PIM | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 64 | 14 | 49 | 1 | 29 | 227 | 387 | 1265 | Did Not Qualify |
League Records
| Season | Record | Number | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Fewest Points | 29 | Roanoke Valley Rebels |
| Fastest 2 goals (both teams) | 3 seconds | Roanoke Valley Rebels vs Hampton Roads Admirals Hampton Roads Admirals The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena.... |
|
| Fewest Road Wins | 2 | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |
| Fewest Ties | 1(tie) | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |
| Fewest Wins | 14 (tie) | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |
| Longest Road Winless Streak | 26 | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |
| Lowest Winning % | .227 | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |
| Most Road Losses | 29 (tie) | Roanoke Valley Rebels | |