Windsor St. Clair Saints | |
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City | Windsor, Ontario |
League | Major League Hockey |
Operated | 2001 | -2008
Home arena | South Windsor Arena |
Colours | Green, Yellow, and White |
General manager | Kevin Hamlin |
Head coach | Kevin Hamlin |
Previous franchise history | |
1967-1986 | 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.
The St. Clair Saints hockey club first emerged in 1967 as a member of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association of the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association.
The Saints dominated the OCAA early, winning its first three championships in 1968, 1969, and 1970.
In 1972, the beginnings of a Saints OCAA dynasty was born. The Saints won the 1973 championship. Then in 1975, they won again. In 1976, they won for the third time in four years and then went on to Camrose, Alberta to defeat Selkirk College and win the CCAA National Championship. In 1977, the Saints won the OCAA again and as well in 1979. In seven seasons, the St. Clair Saints won five OCAA championships and a CCAA National Championship. In this span, the Saints also won a national silver medal and two national bronze medals. It seems that the Saints went on hiatus for much of the next two decades.
In 2001, the Saints were back on the ice full-time. In 2002 and 2003, the Saints were again OCAA champions, beating Humber College both times, after more than a two decade gap. In 2001, the CCAA announced that there was not enough national interest in national championships anymore, so neither the 2002 or 2003 teams had the opportunity at earning another national championship for St. Clair College. After finishing in first place for the third straight year, the Saints were almost upset by Sir Sandford Fleming College in the semi-final and then were beaten in two straight games by Humber in the final. After losing game one 6-3, the Saints battled hard in game two. With leading scorer Pavel Shtefan out of the lineup, the Saints battled into double overtime to lose on a Humber goal 5:11 into the fifth frame. The Saints were baffled by the Humber goaltender as he stopped 79 of 80 shots to win the game. This would be the Saints final OCAA game.