South Shore Kings

Ice hockey team in Foxboro, Massachusetts

South Shore Kings

City| Foxboro, Massachusetts
League| USPHL
Founded| 1993
Home arena| Foxboro Sports Center
Colors| Green, black, white and gold

Head coach| Drew Omicioli
Franchise history
1993–1997| NECDL Classics
1997–2006| Walpole Stars
2006–2007| Foxboro Stars
2007–present| South Shore Kings

The South Shore Kings are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team playing in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The team plays at the Foxboro Sports Center located in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

The organization fields Tier III teams in the National Collegiate Developmental Conference USPHL Premier and Elite Divisions. The Kings also offer youth hockey select teams at the Bantam, Peewee, and Squirt and other various levels.

## History

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The franchise, then known as the NECDL Classics, is a charter member of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) since 1993. In 1997 the Classics became the Walpole Stars, remaining as such until 2006, when it changed its name to the Foxboro Stars. One year later the team aligned itself with the South Shore Kings organization (which had fielded midget team), becoming known as the South Shore Kings.

The USPHL was formed for the 2013–14 season during a Tier III reorganization that led to the dissolution of the EJHL. Prior to that season, the Kings participated in the former Junior A Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL), the former Junior B Empire Junior Hockey League (EmJHL) and Continental Hockey Association (later named Eastern States Hockey League or ESHL).[1] The former EJHL team now plays in the USPHL Premier Divisions, the former ESHL team plays in the Elite Division, and the former EmJHL team played in the Empire Division from 2012 to 2015.

The 2023-24 season marked thefirst Dineen Cup (USPHL NCDC playoff championship) and the next year their first regular season divisional and league championship.

## Season-by-season records

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Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs

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NECDL Classics
1993–97 | no data | EJHL |
Walpole Stars
1997–98 | no data | EJHL |
1998–99 | 37 | 28 | 8 | 1 | — | 57 | 214 | 126 | 1st of 8, EJHL |
1999–00 | 40 | 31 | 8 | 1 | — | 63 | 216 | 104 | 1st of 11, EJHL |
2000–01 | 37 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 66 | — | — | 1st of 12, EJHL | Won Quarterfinal game, 6–2 vs. Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters
Won Semifinal game, 4–3 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors
Won Championship game, 5-3 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins
League Champions[2]
2001–02 | 38 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 47 | 160 | 150 | 3rd of 6, South
5th of 12, EJHL | Won Quarterfinal game, 5–2 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins
Lost Semifinal game, 1–4 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[3]
2002–03 | 38 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 61 | 199 | 126 | 2nd of 6, South
2nd of 12, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals vs. Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters
Won Semifinal game, 5-2 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins
Lost Championship game, 4-5 vs. New York Apple Core[4]
2003–04 | 38 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 127 | 118 | 4th of 6, South
7th of 12, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[5]
2004–05 | 52 | 26 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 56 | 170 | 169 | 2nd of 7, South
5th of 13, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Bay State Breakers
Lost Semifinal game, 0–2 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[6]
2005–06 | 45 | 23 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 50 | 165 | 152 | 2nd of 7, South
6th of 14, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 1–1 vs. Green Mountain Glades
Lost Semifinal game, 3–4 OT vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[7]
Foxboro Stars
2006–07 | 45 | 16 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 40 | 136 | 162 | 4th of 7, South
9th of 14, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
South Shore Kings
2007–08 | 45 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 53 | 170 | 155 | 3rd of 7, South
6th of 14, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 1–1 vs. Syracuse Stars
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2008–09 | 45 | 21 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 49 | 159 | 160 | 4th of 7, South
7th of 14, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 1–1 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2009–10 | 45 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 73 | 188 | 115 | 1st of 7, South
2nd of 14, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Green Mountain Glades
Won Semifinal game, 3–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen
Lost Championship game, 3–4 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2010–11 | 45 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 57 | 206 | 156 | 3rd of 7, South
5th of 14, EJHL | Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Green Mountain Glades
Lost Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. Bay State Breakers
2011–12 | 45 | 37 | 8 | — | 0 | 74 | 221 | 132 | 1st of 7, South
2nd of 14, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Green Mountain Glades
Lost Semifinals, 1–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2012–13 | 45 | 25 | 16 | — | 4 | 54 | 174 | 143 | 2nd of 7, South
5th of 14, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Valley Jr. Warriors
2013–14 | 48 | 31 | 13 | — | 4 | 66 | 166 | 139 | 3rd of 9,
USPHL Premier | Won Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
Lost Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2014–15 | 50 | 23 | 24 | — | 3 | 49 | 166 | 163 | 7th of 11,
USPHL Premier | Won Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Boston Junior Bruins
Lost Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2015–16 | 44 | 31 | 8 | — | 5 | 67 | 172 | 109 | 4th of 12,
USPHL Premier | Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Islanders Hockey Club
2016–17 | 45 | 20 | 22 | — | 3 | 43 | 144 | 148 | 6th of 10,
USPHL Premier | Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Boston Junior Bruins
2017–18 | 50 | 29 | 16 | — | 5 | 63 | 175 | 165 | 4th of 11,
NCDC | Lost Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. Connecticut Jr. Rangers
2018–19 | 50 | 14 | 34 | — | 2 | 30 | 120 | 221 | 12th of 12,
NCDC | Did not qualify
2019–20 | 50 | 17 | 27 | — | 6 | 40 | 145 | 191 | 11th of 13,
NCDC | Did not qualify
2018–19 | 50 | 14 | 34 | — | 2 | 30 | 120 | 221 | 12th of 12,
NCDC | Did not qualify
2020–21 | 39 | 22 | 16 | — | 1 | 45 | 116 | 123 | 2nd of 7, North
5th of 13, NCDC | Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. Islanders Hockey Club
2021–22 | 48 | 25 | 19 | — | 4 | 54 | 154 | 139 | 3rd of 7, North
5th of 13, NCDC | Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2022–23 | 50 | 28 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 61 | 159 | 142 | 2nd of 7, North
4th of 14, NCDC | Won Div. Semifinals, 2-1 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
Won North Div 2-1 Twin City Thunder
Lost League Finals 1-2 P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
2023–24 | 52 | 36 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 76 | 192 | 123 | 2nd of 6, New England
4th of 18, NCDC | Won Div. Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Utica Jr. Comets
Won Div Finals 3-0 Islanders Hockey Club
Won ATL/NE Reg 3-1 P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
Won Dineen Cup 2-1 (Ogden Mustangs)
2024–25 | 54 | 44 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 235 | 127 | 1st of 9, New England
1st of 22, NCDC | Won Div. Semifinals, 3-0 (Worcester Jr. Railers)
Lost Div. Finals 1-3 (Northern Cyclones)
adv to Dineen Cup top Div loser
(OTL, 0-1 gm Idaho Falls Spud Kings)(3-OTW, 3-2 Northern Cyclones)(W, 4-0 Mercer Chiefs)
(Lost FINAL, 1-2 (Idaho Falls Spud Kings)

## USA Hockey Tier III Junior A National Championships

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Round robin play in pool with top 4 teams advancing to semi-final.

Year | Round Robin | Record | Standing | Semifinal | Championship Game

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2010[8] | W, Phoenix Polar Bears (WSHL) 7-1
W, Walpole Express (AtJHL) 9-2
W, Twin Cities Northern Lights (MnJHL) 7-1 | 3-0-0 | 1st of 4
Div. II | W, Rochester Ice Hawks (MnJHL) 6-1 | L, St. Louis Jr. Blues (CSHL) 3-4

## Alumni

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* Noel Acciari – Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
* Charlie Coyle – Drafted in 2010 by San Jose Sharks (NHL), traded to and debuted with the Minnesota Wild in 2012. Subsequently traded to Boston becoming a dependable top 9 forward for the Bruins.
* Matty Beniers \- Seattle Kraken (NHL)
* Jimmy Hayes (ice hockey) \- Boston Bruins (NHL)
* John Marino \- Utah Mammoth (NHL)
* Jim Fahey – San Jose Sharks (NHL) and New Jersey Devils (NHL), 2003 First Team All-American with Northeastern University
* Matt Gilroy – New York Rangers (NHL), 2009 Hobey Baker Award Winner, 2008 and 2009 First Team All-American, 2007 Second Team All-American with Boston University
* Gianni Paolo – Actor most known for portraying Brayden Weston on the hit crime drama Power, and Power Book II: Ghost; Also known for MA, The Fosters, The Mick and Chance (TV series)[9]
* Jordan Smotherman – Atlanta Thrashers (NHL)
* Chris Wagner – Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
* Ryan Donato – Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

## References

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1. ^ "HUSKIES JOIN CHA". New England Junior Huskies. May 4, 2010.
2. ^ "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2001".
3. ^ "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2002".
4. ^ "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2003".
5. ^ "Feisty Forward for Golden Knights | Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2004".
6. ^ "EJHL Playoffs, Updated Daily | Amateur Hockey News | March 14, 2005".
7. ^ "EJHL Semifinals Tonight | Amateur Hockey News | March 20, 2006".
8. ^ "2010 Tier III Junior A Nationals". Pointstreak. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
9. ^ "Gianni Paolo". IMDb.

## External links

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* South Shore Kings Juniors