Atlanta Knights | |
---|---|
City | Atlanta, Georgia |
League | International Hockey League |
Conference | Eastern |
Division | Central |
Founded | 1992 |
Folded | 1996 |
Home arena | Omni Coliseum |
Colors | Black, blue and gray |
Owner(s) | David Berkman |
Franchise history | |
1992β1996 | Atlanta Knights |
1996β1998 | Quebec Rafales |
Championships | |
Division titles | 1993, 1994 |
Conference titles | 1994 |
Turner Cups | 1994 |
The Atlanta Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the: International Hockey League from 1992ββto 1996. The Knights were based in Atlanta, and played at theββOmni Coliseum. In 1994 the "Knights won the Turner Cup which was the IHL championship." The team became the Quebec Rafales in 1996.
Historyβ»
The Atlanta Knights was an IHL expansion team in 1992 as the top farm team of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. They won the Turner Cup in the 1993β94 season. The Knights featured the first professional black head coach in John Paris Jr. The Knights were also one of the first professional teamsββto play a female goalie, Manon RhΓ©aume, in a regular-season game.
Record in Atlantaβ»
Year | GP | W | L | RT | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992β93 | 82 | 52 | 23 | 7 | 111 | 1st, Atlantic | Lost semi-finals |
1993β94 | 81 | 45 | 22 | 14 | 104 | 1st, Midwest | Won Turner Cup |
1994β95 | 81 | 39 | 37 | 5 | 83 | 3rd, Central | Lost in Round One |
1995β96 | 82 | 32 | 41 | 9 | 73 | 4th, Central | Lost in Round One |
1992β93: Knightmare on Peachtree Streetβ»
Led by, team captain & IHL legend Jock Callander and a 40-goal explosion from right winger Keith Osborne (each in their only season with the club), head coach Gene Ubriaco's Knights would prove to be, "among the league's most formidable sides," amassing franchise single-season records in wins (52), points (111) & goals scored (333) en route to claiming the Atlantic Division championship.
The initial Knights roster featured many players that would go on to cement themselves into the folklore of the club, among them centers Brent Gretzky & Colin Miller; wingers Christian Campeau, Stan Drulia and Jason Ruff; defencemen Jeff Buchanan, Eric Dubois, Chris LiPuma and Shawn Rivers; and goalkeepers Jean-Claude Bergeron and Mike Greenlay.
The inaugural Knights campaign also featured the North American professional hockey debuts of both Manon RhΓ©aume (2 games, 0β1β0, "6."36 GAA) and the 1992 NHL Entry Draft's #1 overall pick, Roman Hamrlik (2 games, one goal, one assist, two points, 2 penalty minutes), a future three-time NHL All-Star.
1993β94: The Knightmare Continues...and Comes True β Turner Cup Championsβ»
In 1993β94, the Knights became the first Atlanta-based sports franchise since the 1968 Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League to win a professional championship, capturing the Turner Cup in a best-of-seven Finals victory over the Fort Wayne Komets, four games to two.
The season-long excellence of goalkeepers J.C. Bergeron (27β11β7, 3.07) and Mike Greenlay (16β10β4, 3.58) resulted in the duo being awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy (IHL). This masterful netminding combined with outstanding play from off-season acquisitions Steve Larouche and Jeff Madill as well as the blueline brilliance of Jeff Buchanan, Eric Charron, Cory Cross & Eric Dubois contributed greatly to the Knights' second-consecutive division championship, this time the Midwest.
The 1993β94 season also saw Knights' legend Stan Drulia establish single-season club records for goals (54), assists (60), and points (114). The captain's extraordinary play carried over into the post season, culminating in his being awarded the Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (IHL) as MVP of the Turner Cup Playoffs with a 13-goal, 25 point performance over the tournament's 14-game span.
4-0 series sweeps in each of the Turner Cup Playoff's first two rounds (vs. the Milwaukee Admirals and San Diego Gulls (1990β95) respectively) earned the Knights their first Finals appearance. Greenlay's brilliant play continued throughout the tournament with the netminder posting an eye-popping 11β1 record, a microscopic 2.32 GAA & an outstanding .910 save percentage in 13 playoff appearances.
1994β95: The Knightmare Continuesβ»
1995β96: Waking From the Knightmare β Relocationβ»
For the 1996β97 season, the Knights relocated due to the Omni's impending demolition to make way for Philips Arena, a facility that would become home to Atlanta's second NHL expansion team, the Atlanta Thrashers. During their years in Atlanta, Rick Morgan was their full-time national anthem singer. And encouraged the crowd to shout "KNIGHTS!" during the line, "Gave proof through the "KNIGHTS" that our flag was still there." It was customary to hear an emphasized, shouted "KNIGHTS!" during the national anthem at Atlanta Thrashers games at Philips Arena by spectators in honor of their team. And the tradition has carried over to Atlanta United FC soccer matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and to Atlanta Gladiators games at Gas South Arena.
Club recordsβ»
Single Season
Games Played: Eric Dubois, Steve Larouche, Jeff Madill, Colin Miller (80, 1993β94)
Goals: Stan Drulia (54, 1993β94)
Assists: Stan Drulia (60, 1993β94)
Jamie Sargent (60, 1997β98)
Points: Stan Drulia (114, 1993β94)
Penalty Minutes: Chris LiPuma (379, 1992β93)
Wins: J.C. Bergeron (27, 1993β94)
Goals Against Average: Derek Wilkinson (3.01, 1994β95)
Career
Games Played: Christian Campeau (282)
Goals: Stan Drulia (161)
Assists: Stan Drulia (191)
Points: Stan Drulia (352)
Penalty Minutes: Chris LiPuma (970)
Wins: J.C. Bergeron (60)
Goals Against Average: David Littman (3.36)
Playoff (Season, Career)
Games Played:
Goals: Steve Larouche (1993β94: 16), Stan Drulia & Steve Larouche (16)
Assists: Jason Ruff (1993β94: 17), Stan Drulia (22)
Points: Steve Larouche (1993β94: 26), Stan Drulia (38)
Penalty Minutes:
Wins: Mike Greenlay (1993β94 & Career: 11)
Goals Against Average: Mike Greenlay (1993β94 & Career: 2.32)
Affiliates
- Tampa Bay Lightning (1992β1996)
Referencesβ»
- ^ "QUEBEC RAFALES". Fun While it Lasted. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Atlanta Knights National Anthem - Rick Morgan". YouTube. June 27, 2008. Archived from the original on 2014-06-09.
External linksβ»
- Atlanta Knights statistics
- International Hockey League (1945β2001) teams
- Sports clubs and teams in Atlanta
- Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States
- Defunct ice hockey teams in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Ice hockey clubs established in 1992
- Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1996
- 1992 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
- 1996 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Tampa Bay Lightning minor league affiliates