Lahti Pelicans
| Pelicans | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Lahti, Finland |
| League | SM-liiga |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Home arena | Isku Areena (Capacity 5.530) |
| Colors | Teal, black, white |
| Owner(s) |
Pasi Nurminen Sami Kallinen Jarno Lindeman Petri Kumpulainen Tomi Veijalainen |
| General manager | Ilkka Kaarna |
| Head coach |
 Petri Matikainen
|
| Captain |
Antti Erkinjuntti
|
| Media |
Etelä-Suomen Sanomat Radio Voima |
| Affiliates | Peliitat (Mestis) |
| Website | pelicans.fi |
| Franchise history | |
| 1891–1964 | Viipurin Reipas |
| 1964–1975 | Lahden Reipas |
| 1975–1989 | Kiekkoreipas |
| 1989–1992 | Hockey Reipas |
| 1992–1996 | Reipas Lahti |
| 1996–present | Pelicans |
The Pelicans are a professional ice hockey team playing in the Finnish Liiga, and formed in 1992. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.
Viipurin Reipas was a sports club located in Vyborg. They won the first ever Finnish Ice Hockey Championship in 1928 with a team consisting mostly of bandy players. After Vyborg was taken from Finland by Soviet Union during World War II, the club relocated to Lahti where it continued under its original name until renamed to Lahden Reipas in .
Reipas spent five seasons in SM-sarja from 1965 to 1970. Their best finish was sixth in 1965–66.
Kiekkoreipas was formed in 1975 to take over hockey operations from Lahden Reipas. They finished top of the league in recently formed First Division in 1975–76 and won promotion to SM-liiga after finishing second in the qualifying series.
Kiekkoreipas spent nine seasons in SM-liiga. In 1978–79 they achieved their highest regular season position, finishing fifth. Their sole playoff appearance came in 1981–82 when they finished sixth and lost to eventual champions Tappara 2–0 in the opening round. After the 1981–82 season, many key players left the club and the team started to gradually fall in the standings. Kiekkoreipas was relegated at the end of the 1984–85 season.
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