Jamestown Vikings
| Jamestown Vikings | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Jamestown, New York |
| League | Mid-Atlantic Hockey League |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Home arena | Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena |
| Colors | navy blue, light blue, gold |
| Owner(s) | Vikings Professional Hockey Club, LLC |
| Head coach | Brad Zangs |
| Franchise history | |
| 2007-2008 | Jamestown Vikings |
| 2008 | Lake Erie Vikings |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 0 |
The Jamestown Vikings were a professional ice hockey team that played in the now defunct Mid-Atlantic Hockey League. They were in Jamestown, New York at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena.
Team history
The league canceled the remainder of the 2007-08 season and suspended operations on February 12, 2008. The MAHL planned to return with teams in new locations in 2008-09. The Vikings and Valley Forge Freedom, the league's two most fiscally solvent franchises, were expected to remain in the league if and when the league returns.[1] After the season ended, several Vikings players went on a drunken rampage at a local lodge in Jamestown, believing that league owner Andrew Haines (who also owned the team at the time) owned the lodge (he did not) and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.[2] League officials originally said that they fully expected the Vikings to be a part of a renewed league in 2008-09.[3] However, on March 18, the league announced that the Jamestown team would move to Ohio, and play as the Lake Erie Vikings, citing the vandalism incident as the primary reason for the departure.[4] It was later revealed that the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena had revoked the Vikings' lease because of the league's financial problems.[5] The team later announced its intentions to begin play at "The Pond" in Auburn Township, Geauga County, Ohio, but after the folding of the MAHL in September 2008, the Vikings never played again.
A junior "A" hockey franchise named the Jamestown Jets replaced the Vikings in Jamestown.[5]
References
- ↑ Fanelli, Patrick. Mid-Atlantic Hockey League Suspends Play 80 Games Into Initial Season The Post-Journal. 13 February 2008.
- ↑ Fanelli, Patrick. Vikings go on rampage at lodge. The Post-Journal. 15 February 2008.
- ↑ Fanelli, Patrick. Mid-Atlantic Hockey League Officials Say Hockey Will Return To City. The Post-Journal. 24 February 2008.
- ↑ Vikings relocate for 2008/2009 season
- 1 2 Fanelli, Patrick. Junior Hockey Coming To City. The Post-Journal. 20 March 2008.