The Windsor Lancers men's ice hockey team is an active ice hockey program representing the Windsor Lancers athletic department of the University of Windsor. The team has been active since the early 1960s and is currently a member of the Ontario University Athletics conference under the authority of U Sports. The Lancers play at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex in Windsor, Ontario.

History The Windsor Lancers men's hockey team began in the early 1960s as members of the Ontario Intercollegiate Athletics Association (as the Assumption College Lancers). The Lancers won their division in 1965, but lost the OIAA final to Laurentian University in a sudden-death 4–2 loss. In 1968, the Lancers were promoted to the QOAA. In 1971, the QOAA was dissolved and the Lancers joined the newly formed Ontario University Athletics Association, now known as the OUA.

The Windsor Lancers men's hockey team is currently led by Head Coach Kevin Hamlin. Coach Hamlin has led the Lancers to the 2013–14 OUA Queen's Cup Championship and two straight CIS national championship tournament appearances.

In 2008–09, Hamlin's first season, he was named the OUA Men's Hockey Coach of the Year after leading the Lancers to a 15-point turnaround in the standings from the previous year. In 2010–11, Hamlin's Lancers finished the regular season with a 12–12–4 record as he led Windsor back into the playoffs for the second straight season. His second year behind the Lancer bench came in 2009–10 where led the Lancers back to the playoffs as they advanced to the OUA West Semi-finals. In 2011–12, he led the Lancers to their best season in over a decade as they finished 15–12–1 and advanced the Western Conference finals. Coach Hamlin's squad finished the year ranked #11 in the country. In 2012–13, Coach Hamlin's squad finished 18–9–1 and in second place in the OUA Western conference. The Lancers finished as one of the top scoring teams in the nation including 8th in Canada in goals and 6th in the CIS in power-play goals.

In 2013–14, Coach Hamlin led his squad to the Queen's Cup Ontario Championship for only the second time in school history. They also finished the season ranked #5 in Canada – the program's highest ever finish in the national rankings. Hamlin was honoured with both the Windsor Essex Sports (WESPY) Coach of the Year award and the Gino Fracas Coach of the Year award for his outstanding work behind the bench.

En route to winning the Queen's Cup, the Lancers enjoyed a tremendous playoff run that included playoff series wins over Toronto, Western, Lakehead and McGill to earn the title. At the CIS National Championship tournament, Windsor also earned their first ever victory at Nationals as they knocked off the A.U.S. champion Acadia Axemen 4–2 in pool play.

In 2014–15, Hamlin was named the Ontario University Men's Hockey Coach of the Year for the second time in his career and was a finalist for the CIS National Coach of the Year after leading the Lancers to a program best 22–4–1 record and first place overall in the OUA. The Lancers were ranked in the CIS top ten for 17 straight weeks and captured an Ontario bronze medal while earning their second consecutive trip to the CIS national championships. Individually, the team received tremendous recognition for their outstanding season. Senior forward Spencer Pommells, a native of Grande Prairie, Alta., became the first Lancer to claim the Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as CIS player of the year and only the third Windsor player to capture a CIS major award in men's hockey. Forwards Chris Gignac (1999) and Ken Minello (1989) had previously merited the R.W. Pugh Award presented annually to the most sportsmanlike player. The senior forward racked up 50 points in 27 league games, including 16 goals and a CIS-leading 34 assists, to win the national scoring race by eight points and the OUA crown by 11. Of his team-leading 16 goals, five were game-winners, leaving him one short of the nation's lead. Kenny Bradford was named the OUA Defenseman of the year and a CIS All-Canadian after he led the CIS in scoring by a defenceman with 28 points, scoring eight goals and adding 20 assists. He was a key cog in the Lancers third-ranked power play, scoring six of his eight goals on the man advantage. Senior netminder Parker Van Buskirk was named the OUA goaltender of the year after he led the conference with 20 wins and made the second most starts of any goaltender with 24. His 2.86 goals against average was the second-best of any western conference goalie, and his .904 save percentage was sixth best overall. Dylan Denomme was named the OUA West rookie of the year as he finished second on the Lancers in points with 31, scoring 13 goals and 18 assists, while appearing in all 27 games. He led all CIS rookies in scoring and tied Bradford for the team lead with six power play goals as well.

In recent years the Lancer's have continued their winning ways. Led by USports goaltender of the year, Nathan Torchia, the 2022-23 Lancers had an incredible season. Finishing 2nd in the OUA west after the regular season. They earned a first round bye which led to them playing the Brock Badgers in the second round. They won this series in 2 games which meant they were onto the OUA West conference finals. Were they met the Lakehead Thunderwolves and this series was very tight and a 3rd and deciding game was needed. The Lancers ultimately won this game which punched their ticket to USports Men's Hockey National Championship's held in PEI and gave them rights to hosting the Queens Cup in Windsor. The Queens Cup was a hard fought game and needed 6 total periods to decide a winner. Unfortunately the Lancer's surrendered a goal early on in the 3rd overtime to the UQTR Patriot's. After a 2nd place finish in the OUA playoffs, this still meant the Lancer's were heading to PEI for the Usports Championships. Where they met the Alberta Golden Bears in the first round, winner takes all game. Unfortunately the game didn't go as planned and the Golden Bears came out to a scorching hot start scoring multiple goals early on. The Lancers were unable to battle back and lost. Overall it was an incredible season for them, going on such a terrific run and falling a goal post short of being Queens Cup champions.

Season-by-season results Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results Conference OverallGPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%1964–65OIAA6600––12 T–1st7610 Lost Final, 2–4 (Laurentian)1965–66OIAA10190––26th10190 1966–67OIAA12750––143rd12750 1967–68OIAA12660––124th12660 1968–69QOAA15582––127th15582 1969–70QOAA15492––1010th15492 1970–71QOAA15393––9T–10th15393 1971–72OUAA19883––198th20893 Lost Quarterfinal, 2–5 (Western Ontario) 1972–73OUAA17980––188th18990 Lost Quarterfinal, 1–7 (Western Ontario) 1973–74OUAA182142––614th182142 1974–75OUAA171151––314th171151 1975–76OUAA203143––913th203143 1976–77OUAA185121––1112th185121 1977–78OUAA20695––1710th216105 Lost Quarterfinal, 4–9 (Western Ontario) 1978–79OUAA16871––177th17881 Lost Quarterfinal, ? (Guelph) 1979–80OUAA221201––3T–11th221201 1980–81OUAA228131––178th228131 1981–82OUAA227132––16T–9th227132 1982–83OUAA2411121––23T–8th2411121 1983–84OUAA248151––1710th248151 1984–85OUAA241284––287th241284 1985–86OUAA241365––315th251375 Lost Quarterfinal, 3–4 (Western Ontario)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier) 1986–87OUAA24996––6th2912116 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Toronto)Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (York) 1987–88OUAA261673––35 4th322093 Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ryerson)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (York) 1988–89OUAA2614111––29T–8th2915131 Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Ryerson) 1989–90OUAA221291––257th2412111 Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Waterloo) 1990–91OUAA221381––27T–6th2413101 Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier) 1991–92OUAA2212100––249th2212100 1992–93OUAA229121––19T–10th229121 1993–94OUAA248142––1811th248142 1994–95OUAA248115––2112th248115 1995–96OUAA2614111––299th2915131 Won Division Semifinal, 5–4 (2OT) (Western Ontario)Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Waterloo) 1996–97OUAA261583––334th271593 Lost Division Semifinal, 2–6 (Western Ontario) 1997–98OUA262231––45 1st332751 Won Division Final series, 3–0 (Waterloo)Won Semifinal, 6–2 (York)Won Championship, 2–1 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 2–3 (New Brunswick), 3–6 (Alberta)1998–99OUA261763––37 2nd311993 Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Waterloo)Lost Semifinal, 1–3 (York) Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 1–4 (Saskatchewan), 3–4 (Moncton)1999–00OUA261196––286th2811116 Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier) 2000–01OUA248142––1810th248142 2001–02OUA248151––17T–12th268171 Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2002–03OUA248151––1710th268171 Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2003–04OUA2471700–1414th247170 2004–05OUA2471043–21T–12th247134 2005–06OUA2471232–19T–11th247143 2006–07OUA28101701–21T–12th2810180 2007–08OUA28621–011318th286211 2008–09OUA281313–022813th2813132 2009–10OUA281013–3225T–13th3312192 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Waterloo)Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario) 2010–11OUA281212–2228T–12th2812142 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario) 2011–12OUA281512–013110th3519151 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (York)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Lakehead)Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Western Ontario)Lost Bronze Medal Game, 3–5 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) 2012–13OUA28189–01394th3422111 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (York)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Guelph)Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Waterloo) 2013–14OUA281711–0034T–8th3825130 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Toronto)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Western Ontario)Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Lakehead)Won Championship, 3–2 (McGill) Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 4–2 (Acadia), 0–9 (Saskatchewan)2014–15OUA27224–1039 1st362790 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Brock)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Guelph)Won Bronze Medal Game, 2–1 (OT) (McGill) Lost Quarterfinal, 2–6 (New Brunswick)2015–16OUA281411–123110th3115142 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Guelph) 2016–17OUA281313–112813th3718181 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ryerson)Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (York)Lost Bronze Medal Game, 3–6 (McGill) 2017–18OUA281011–4327T–13th3111173 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Guelph) 2018–19OUA281314–1027T–12th3013170 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Guelph) 2019–20OUA281510–03338th3015123 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Brock) 2020–21 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021–22OUA16123–10 2nd171250 Lost First Round, 2–4 (York) 2022–23OUA27186–3039 T–3rd3322110 Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Brock)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Lakehead)Lost Championship, 2–3 (3OT) (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) Lost Quarterfinal, 0–7 (Alberta)2023–24OUA281511–1132T–9th3217141 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Brock) Totals GP W L T/SOL %ChampionshipsRegular Season 1340 592 646 102 3 West Division Title, 3 Far West Division Titles, 1 OIAA Championships, 2 OUA ChampionshipsConference Post-season 105 51 54 0 2 OUA ChampionshipsU Sports Postseason 8 1 7 0 5 National Tournament appearancesRegular Season and Postseason Record 1453 644 707 102 Note: Results prior to 1964 are unavailable.

References

External links

U. of Windsor Statistics and History on HockeyDB.com