Westfort Hurricanes

Ice hockey team in Fort William, Ontario

Westfort Hurricanes

City| Fort William, Ontario
League| Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
Midwest Junior Hockey League
Can-Am Junior Hockey League
Operated| 1940–1980
Home arena| Fort William Gardens
Franchise history
1940-1961| Fort William Hurricane-Rangers
1961-1966| Fort William Hurricanes
1966-1972| Westfort Hurricanes
1972-1975| Thunder Bay Westfort Hurricanes
1975-1978| Degagne Hurricanes
1978-1980| Degagne Buccaneers
Previous franchise history
1978| merged with Thunder Bay Beavers and Fort William Canadians

The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once.

## History

[edit]

In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League to join the St. Paul, Minnesota-based Can-Am Junior Hockey League. A year later, that league became the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Herks stayed on board for one Midwest Junior season before returning to the TBJHL.[citation needed]

Dave Siciliano coached the Hurricanes during the 1973–74 season.[1] His team completed the regular season in first place with 45 wins in 60 games.[2] In the 1974 Centennial Cup playoffs, the Hurricanes defeated the Wexford Raiders four games to three in the first round,[3] then were defeated four games to three by the Smiths Falls Bears in the second round.[4]

The MWJHL later merged and solidified the United States Hockey League. The Buccaneers folded on July 6, 1980, when the TBAHA left them with no league to play in.[citation needed]

## Season-by-season standings

[edit]

Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results

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1940-41 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 2 | - | 89 | 106 | 12 | 3rd TBJHL
1941-42 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | - | 110 | 13 | 30 | 1st TBJHL
1942-43 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | - | 71 | 31 | 18 | 1st TBJHL
1943-45 | did not participate
1945-46 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | - | 15 | 52 | 2 | 5th TBJHL
1946-47 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 31 | 25 | 9 | 2nd TBJHL
1947-48 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | 39 | 59 | 7 | 3rd TBJHL
1948-49 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | - | 52 | 67 | 7 | 3rd TBJHL
1949-50 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | - | 109 | 86 | 22 | 2nd TBJHL
1950-51 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | - | 100 | 85 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL
1951-52 | 30 | 15 | 14 | 1 | - | 140 | 127 | 31 | 3rd TBJHL
1952-53 | 29 | 11 | 18 | 0 | - | 129 | 161 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL
1953-54 | 34 | 10 | 23 | 1 | - | 114 | 180 | 21 | 4th TBJHL
1954-55 | 29 | 8 | 20 | 1 | - | 97 | 143 | 17 | 4th TBJHL
1955-56 | 33 | 3 | 27 | 3 | - | 88 | 167 | 9 | 3rd TBJHL
1956-57 | 30 | 2 | 28 | 0 | - | 95 | 241 | 4 | 3rd TBJHL
1957-58 | 22 | 4 | 17 | 1 | - | 66 | 126 | 9 | 3rd TBJHL
1958-59 | 24 | 6 | 14 | 4 | - | 82 | 128 | 16 | 3rd TBJHL
1959-60 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | - | 94 | 76 | 26 | 1st TBJHL
1960-61 | 24 | 5 | 15 | 4 | - | 77 | 108 | 14 | 3rd TBJHL
1961-62 | 28 | 2 | 24 | 2 | - | 77 | 186 | 6 | 3rd TBJHL
1962-63 | 28 | 9 | 17 | 2 | - | 92 | 127 | 20 | 3rd TBJHL
1963-64 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 6 | - | 87 | 103 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL
1964-65 | 22 | 1 | 19 | 2 | - | 93 | 189 | 4 | 4th TBJHL
1965-66 | 30 | 3 | 26 | 1 | - | 112 | 226 | 7 | 4th TBJHL
1966-67 | 29 | 7 | 19 | 3 | - | 118 | 172 | 17 | 4th TBJHL
1967-68 | 32 | 11 | 19 | 2 | - | 134 | 187 | 27.5 | 4th TBJHL
1968-69 | 36 | 23 | 8 | 5 | - | 196 | 129 | 51 | 1st TBJHL
1969-70 | 30 | 13 | 14 | 3 | - | 156 | 160 | 29 | 2nd TBJHL
1970-71 | 30 | 13 | 14 | 3 | - | 133 | 156 | 29 | 2nd TBJHL
1971-72 | 27 | 14 | 11 | 2 | - | \-- | \-- | 30 | 2nd TBMJHL
1972-73 | 31 | 5 | 21 | 5 | - | 94 | 178 | 15 | 4th CAJHL
1973-74 | 60 | 45 | 14 | 1 | - | 430 | 258 | 91 | 2nd MWJHL
1974-75 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 4 | - | 164 | 106 | 42 | 1st TBJHL
1975-76 | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | - | 163 | 117 | 43 | 2nd TBJHL
1976-77 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 2 | - | 168 | 122 | 30 | 2nd TBJHL
1977-78 | 28 | 20 | 6 | 2 | - | \-- | \-- | 42 | 1st TBJHL
1978-79 | 25 | 16 | 6 | 3 | - | \-- | \-- | 35 | 1st TBJHL
1979-80 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 0 | - | 216 | 163 | 48 | 1st TBJHL

### Playoffs

[edit]

* 1971 Lost final

Westfort Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians 3-games-to-2
Thunder Bay Marrs defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-1

* 1972 Lost semi-final

Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort Hurricanes 2-games-to-none

* 1973 Lost quarter-final/Canadian TBAHA Semi-final

Thunder Bay Centennials defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-2

* 1974 Won TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy final, lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy final

Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Eagles (TBJHL) 3-games-to-none
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians (TBJHL) 4-games-to-none JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Wexford Raiders (OPJHL) 4-games-to-3
Smiths Falls Bears (CJHL) defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-3

* 1975 Lost final

Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 4-games-to-2
Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-1

* 1976 Lost semi-final

Thunder Bay Beavers defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-2

* 1977 Lost final

Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none and 1 tie
Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-1

* 1978 Won League, lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy Quarter-final

Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none
Degagne Hurricanes defeated Atikokan Voyageurs 4-games-to-none TBJHL CHAMPIONS
Guelph Platers (OPJHL) defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-none

* 1979 Lost final

Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-1

* 1980 Lost final

Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-none with 1 tie

## Championships

[edit]

TBJHL Champions:

1942, 1943, 1952, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974*, 1978

Abbott Cup Finalists:

1970

Dudley Hewitt Cup/Eastern Centennial Cup Semi-final Champion

1974

(*) denotes: Herks played in MWJHL, rejoined TBJHL for playoffs.

## Notable alumni

[edit]

Fort William Hurricane-Rangers[5]

* Gus Bodnar
* Alex Delvecchio
* Bill Johansen
* Bud Poile

Fort William Hurricanes[6]

* Mike Busniuk
* Larry Cahan
* Dave Gatherum
* Eddie Kachur
* Dennis Owchar
* Don Poile
* Vic Venasky
* Tommy Williams
* Gord Wilson

Westfort Hurricanes[7]

* Lou Nistico
* Murray Wing
* Benny Woit

Thunder Bay Westfort Hurricanes[8]

* Mike Hordy
* Trevor Johansen

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Dave Siciliano Hockey Stats and Profile". Hockey Database. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
2. ^ "1973–74 Midwest Junior Hockey League Standings". Hockey Database. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
3. ^ "Bears, Hurricanes in east final". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. April 19, 1974. p. 24.
4. ^ "Bears shoot way to Cup finals". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. May 2, 1974. p. 29.
5. ^ "Search Players By Team". www.legendsofhockey.net.
6. ^ "Fort William Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.
7. ^ "Westfort Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.
8. ^ "Thunder Bay Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.