Powell River Regals
| Powell River Regals | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Powell River, British Columbia |
| League | Independent |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Home arena | Hap Parker Arena |
| Colours | Green, Gold, Black, and White |
| General manager | Tod English |
| Head coach | Rick Hopper |
| Franchise history | |
| 1955-1957 | Powell River Luckies |
| 1957-present | Powell River Regals |
The Powell River Regals are a Canadian Senior ice hockey team from Powell River, British Columbia. The Regals play an independent schedule under the supervision of the BC Amateur Hockey Association. The Regals are 3-time Allan Cup National Senior "AAA" Champions and 1-time Hardy Cup National Intermediate "A" Champions.
The Regals won the Senior "AAA" 1997 Allan Cup with a win over three-time defending champion Warroad Lakers in the final, the 2000 Allan Cup by beating the Lloydminster Border Kings in the championship game, and the 2006 Allan Cup with a 7-1 drubbing of the Whitby Dunlops. Powell River was also a finalist at the 1999 Allan Cup, losing to the Stony Plain Eagles 5-3. Earlier in their history, the Regals won the 1970 Hardy Cup championship as Intermediate "A" hockey champions of Canada with a three games to two, best-of-five series win over Val-d'Or, Quebec.
Regals’ history goes as far back as hockey’s beginnings in Powell River. Just after the Willingdon Civic Arena was completed in 1955, a three-team local league comprised Home Gas, Rodmay's and Wilshire’s Variety Store. George Whyte and Vic Lupul, who later played for the Regals, were members of these teams as were the three Hildebrand brothers. A traveling team called the Powell River Luckies was then formed. Coached by Johnny Gorman, the Luckies played in a league with Coquitlam, Nanaimo and New Westminster.
When the Rodmay Hotel, under the management of Al Mantoani, acquired the sponsorship of the team in 1957 a “name the team” contest was held with Powell River Rodmay Regals as the winning entry. Regal spelled backwards being “lager,” a type of beer. This began an association that was to last for more than a decade. Under multiple sponsorship since 1972, the team is now known as the Powell River Regals.
Several of the Luckies players joined the Regals including, Gene Strueby, George Whyte, Dave Kineshanko, Jim Raisbeck, Wally Anderson, Don Alsop and Wally Hretchka. Many of these men contributed to hockey in Powell River through their coaching and involvement with minor hockey and added a great deal to the development and training of young hockey players in this community.
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