Tillsonburg Vipers
Encyclopedia
The Tillsonburg Thunder are a Senior
ice hockey
team based in Tillsonburg, Ontario
, Canada
. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
.
's Major League Hockey.
In 2003-04, the Vipers made the league final, but lost to the Aylmer Blues 4-games-to-2.
Tillsonburg's best season was the 2005-06 season. After finishing the regular season in second place with 17 wins in 30 games, the Vipers knocked off the Cambridge Hornets
4-games-to-3 to make the league finals. In the league final, the Vipers fell to the Dundas Real McCoys
4-games-to-3.
The MLH fell apart in 2008, just after the Brantford Blast
won the league's first ever Allan Cup
. The team filled the gap when the disgruntled Cambridge Hornets
left the MLH, the collegiate Windsor St. Clair Saints
, walked away from the league. The Vipers decided it was their time to leave as well and applied to join the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
. The WOAA is an independent league with no connections to the Ontario Hockey Association
. It classifies itself as Senior "AA", and allows for both a Senior "AA" and Senior "A" championship come playoff time. On May 14, 2008, the WOAA granted expansion to the Tillsonburg Vipers.
The first ever Tillsonburg WOAA game took place on October 4, 2008, as the Thunder defeated the Goderich Pirates
6-5 in overtime in Tillsonburg. The Thunder had a successful first season in the WOAA, earning a record of 11-7-2, registering 24 points, and fifth place in the South Division. Tillsonburg would lose to the Clinton Radars
in the "AA" qualifying round, being sent to the "A" playoffs. In the "A" quarter-finals, the Thunder were upset by the Exeter Mohawks
in six games, ending their season.
Senior ice hockey
Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition for players too old to play junior ice hockey. The top senior amateur teams in Canadian leagues compete annually for the Allan Cup....
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Tillsonburg, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
The WOAA Senior AA Hockey League is an amateur senior ice hockey league governed by the Western Ontario Athletic Association.-Format:The league uses Hockey Canada playing rules but is not operated under the jurisdictions of the Ontario Hockey Association or Hockey Canada. The league is based in...
.
History
The Tillsonburg Vipers were founded in 2001 as a Senior "AAA" team in the Ontario Hockey AssociationOntario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Major League Hockey.
In 2003-04, the Vipers made the league final, but lost to the Aylmer Blues 4-games-to-2.
Tillsonburg's best season was the 2005-06 season. After finishing the regular season in second place with 17 wins in 30 games, the Vipers knocked off the Cambridge Hornets
Cambridge Hornets
The Cambridge Hornets were a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Cambridge, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey. The new Cambridge Hornets were brought into Southwestern Senior A Hockey League in 1999...
4-games-to-3 to make the league finals. In the league final, the Vipers fell to the Dundas Real McCoys
Dundas Real McCoys
The Dundas Real McCoys are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Dundas, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.-History:...
4-games-to-3.
The MLH fell apart in 2008, just after the Brantford Blast
Brantford Blast
Brantford Blast are a Canadian senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey, from Brantford, Ontario. The team was established in 2000, and play their games at the Brantford Civic Centre.-Competitive hockey back in Brantford:...
won the league's first ever Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
. The team filled the gap when the disgruntled Cambridge Hornets
Cambridge Hornets
The Cambridge Hornets were a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Cambridge, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey. The new Cambridge Hornets were brought into Southwestern Senior A Hockey League in 1999...
left the MLH, the collegiate Windsor St. Clair Saints
Windsor St. Clair Saints
The Windsor St. Clair Saints were a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based in St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. They joined the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey in 2006, only to leave in 2008.-History:The St...
, walked away from the league. The Vipers decided it was their time to leave as well and applied to join the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
The WOAA Senior AA Hockey League is an amateur senior ice hockey league governed by the Western Ontario Athletic Association.-Format:The league uses Hockey Canada playing rules but is not operated under the jurisdictions of the Ontario Hockey Association or Hockey Canada. The league is based in...
. The WOAA is an independent league with no connections to the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
. It classifies itself as Senior "AA", and allows for both a Senior "AA" and Senior "A" championship come playoff time. On May 14, 2008, the WOAA granted expansion to the Tillsonburg Vipers.
The first ever Tillsonburg WOAA game took place on October 4, 2008, as the Thunder defeated the Goderich Pirates
Goderich Pirates
The Goderich Pirates are a senior hockey team based out of Goderich, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League.-Championships:...
6-5 in overtime in Tillsonburg. The Thunder had a successful first season in the WOAA, earning a record of 11-7-2, registering 24 points, and fifth place in the South Division. Tillsonburg would lose to the Clinton Radars
Clinton Radars
The Clinton Radars are a senior hockey team based out of Clinton, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League.-Championships:...
in the "AA" qualifying round, being sent to the "A" playoffs. In the "A" quarter-finals, the Thunder were upset by the Exeter Mohawks
Exeter Mohawks
The Exeter Mohawks are a senior hockey team based out of Exeter, Ontario, Canada. The team was previously known as the Hensall Sherwoods, but relocated to Exeter in the summer of 2007...
in six games, ending their season.
Season-by-Season Standings
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2001-02 | 32 | 6 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 128 | 241 | 15 | 5th SWSHL | |
| 2002-03 | 32 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 150 | 174 | 25 | 4th OHA Sr. A | Lost Semi-final |
| 2003-04 | 32 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 159 | 129 | 38 | 4th OHA Sr. A | Lost Final |
| 2004-05 | 32 | 16 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 141 | 129 | 34 | 4th MLH | Lost Semi-final |
| 2005-06 | 30 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 135 | 129 | 38 | 2nd MLH | Lost Final |
| 2006-07 | 30 | 14 | 12 | |||||||
| 4 | 149 | 146 | 32 | 4th MLH | Lost Semi-final | |||||
| 2007-08 | 30 | 11 | 17 | |||||||
| 2 | 108 | 147 | 24 | 4th MLH | Lost Semi-final | |||||
| 2008-09 | 20 | 11 | 7 | |||||||
| 2 | 100 | 84 | 24 | 5th WOAA South | Lost "A" Quarter-Final | |||||
| 2009-10 | 20 | 16 | 4 | |||||||
| 0 | 97 | 62 | 32 | 1st WOAA South | Lost "AA" Quarter-final |