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Chapter One – North Shore Winter Club Flames
The North Shore Winter Club organized their Junior
Hockey program in the spring of l972, making an
application to the West Coast Junior Hockey League for a
franchise commencing in the 1972-73 season. This
application was rejected for that season with the league
governors deciding to remain with the existing clubs.
This did not deter the NSWC group and with the
assistance of the BCAHA Junior B Director, they entered
the North Island league with the Capilano Winter Club,
Port Alberni and Courtenay. The NSWC won the North
Island Championship and played off with the South Island
Saanich Braves. After winning the Island
Championships, they came up against the West Coast
Champions, the Nor West Caps (defending Cyclone Taylor
Champions) – at the North Van Rec Centre.
Unfortunately, they fell to the powerful Caps in two
games played before a packed arena for both games.
The following season, 1973-74, saw another application
to the WCJHL and acceptance by the league along with
Abbotsford Pilots, Burnaby Blazers and Point Grey Blades
who were the eventual 1973-74 League Champions. Their
home opener was played against the other expansion team,
the Burnaby Blazers. The NSWC Flames won the game 4 –
3.
The men behind the organization of the Flames at that
time included: Ray Wills, Bill Corcoran, Bill Todders
and Gordon Matheson who worked hard and long to bring
the NSWC hockey program that all important last stage
for its many minor hockey graduates.
The Flames were always a contender in the league and
going into the league finals on more than one occasion.
The 1981 – 82 season saw the Flames lose in 3 games to
the defending B.C. Champions – Seattle North West
Americans in the league finals. This was a glimpse of
what was to come.
In
the 1982 – 83 season, the Flames capped their long nine
year endeavour when the well coached and disciplined
team won the Cyclone Taylor trophy. That season was the
first of three successful League Championships and two
trips to the B.C. finals. The WCJHL did not compete in
the B.C. playoffs in 1984-85 or l985-86.
Since 1986-87, Ray and Sue Stonehouse have been the
guiding light behind the Flames, but there were many
before them who met the Flames challenge. Peter Scott,
Bill Bowles, Stan Tebbets, Dave Roman, Bob Pedersen, Ed
Marring, Loreen Mans, Doreen Tadey, Nick Sita, Bill
Bryson, Leo Pouseau, Dave Phillips, Steve Corcoran, Mrs.
Wright and many others, including the original group.
Chapter Two
– Ridge Meadows Flames
During
the summer of 1993 the Flames made a big move East to
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows. Although sad to leave the
North Shore Winter Club, which had been their home for
so many years, the move to Maple Ridge was met with
great enthusiasm from the hockey community and the
residents of the area.
Unfortunately their first year in Maple Ridge was not a
good one on the scoreboard and the Flames finished last
in the league. They followed that disappointing season
with a huge rebound in 1994-95, finishing second in the
league before eventually going down to defeat in the
playoffs to the Richmond Sockeyes.
The 1995 – 1996 season ended once again with the Flames
finishing second behind the Richmond Sockeyes. But this
season the Flames were not to be denied and they
defeated the Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 4 – 3 in the best
of seven series and then proceeded to beat the Richmond
Sockeyes 4 – 2 to become the PIJHL Playoff Champions.
The Flames then hosted the Saanich Braves from Vancouver
Island and the Braves went down to defeat in 2 games.
Then it was on to the Provincials, held at Cam Neely
arena, and the Flames were once again victorious,
beating the Castlegar Rebels in 2 games. The Flames
then traveled to Sicamous, B.C. to compete in the
Western Canadians. They were followed by a huge
contingent of avid fans from Maple Ridge who eventually
saw the Flames win the Bronze medal. Two players who
competed in that tournament have more recently helped
coach the Flames – Tavis Eaton and Mike Peat.
1996-97 was a rebuilding year – the Flames finished in
fourth place and lost to the Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 4
games to 2 in the playoffs.
1997 – 1998 was a banner year for the Ridge Meadows
Flames. They finished first in the league with a 35
wins 7 losses record; went on to defeat the Grandview
Steelers in three games and eventually defeated the
Delta Icehawks 3 games to 1 to become the PIJHL Playoff
Champions. They then went to Revelstoke for the
Provincial semi finals and defeated the Revelstoke
Grizzlies 2 games to 0. After that, it was back home to
the Cam Neely arena for Provincials against the Island
winner, Campbell River. The Campbell River team gave
the Flames a scare in game one by defeating them 8 – 3.
But the next night the Flames came back with a
resounding 9 – 1 win and followed that up with a 5 – 2
win to send the Island team home. Back to Westerns the
Flames then went for the second time in three years –
but this time Westerns were being held in Winnipeg,
Manitoba – a but numbing 30 hours bus trip. The terms
“character building” and “team bonding” were heard a
lot. We arrived the day before the tournament began and
got the grand tour of the Bill Mosienko Arena. The
Flames emerged undefeated in the tournament, winning the
gold medal and the Keystone Cup.
1998-99 the Flames finished second and lost in round one
playoffs to the Port Coquitlam Buckeroos 3 games to 1.
1999-00 the Flames finished in sixth place and lost to
the Abbotsford Pilots in round one playoffs 4 games to
1.
2000 – 01 the Flames rebounded to finish in second place
– 2 points behind the Port Coquitlam Buckeroos. In
round one playoffs they defeated the Grandview Steelers
3 games to 1 and then lost to the Delta Icehawks 3 games
to 1 in round two playoffs. The Flames hosted Western
Canadians that year and went to the final game vs
Saskatchewan’s Assiniboia Southern Rebels. The Rebels
defeated the Flames 3 – 1, the Flames received the
silver medal.
2001-02 the Flames finished in fifth place and lost to
the Richmond Sockeyes in round one playoffs.
2002-03 the Flames finished in second place and lost
once again (4 games to 3) to the Richmond Sockeyes in
round one playoffs.
2003-04 the Flames finished in sixth place and Richmond
beat us again in playoffs.
2004-05 the youngest Flames team ever and the youngest
PIJHL team put up a valiant effort but finished out of
the playoffs.
The summer of 2005, Ray and Sue Stonehouse with sadness
decided it was time to let go of the Flames and we wish
the new ownership group great success. We hope you
enjoy your time with the Flames as much as we have.
We
thank all the fans, coaching staff, players and
volunteers who have been with us over the past twenty
five years. Your enthusiasm for the Flames has made us
very proud for having known you and worked with you.
Chapter Three – under construction!!!
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