Lucknow Lancers

The Lucknow Lancers are a senior hockey team based out of Lucknow, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League.

Championships
Lucknow has won a couple of championships in their history, back in 1996-97, they captured the Senior "B" championship, and in 1988-89, they were Intermediate "D" champs.

2006-07 Lancers Season
Lucknow, coming off an 18-6-1 record in 2005-06, had the best record in the regular season in 2006-07, going 20-2-2. The Lancers finished the season on a 12-0-1 streak, and they scored a season high fifteen goals in a 15-6 win over the Drayton Icemen on October 22.

In the opening round of the "AA" playoffs against the Hensall Sherwoods, the teams would split the first two games of the series before Lucknow would win three in a row to eliminate the Sherwoods, including a convincing 6-1 win in the fifth game.

In the semi-finals, the Lancers faced the Elora Rocks and lost the opening game in Lucknow, losing 6-5 in double OT. Lucknow could never really rebound after that loss and dropped the next game, 6-3 in Elora. The series shifted back to Lucknow for game three, and once again, the Lancers lost in overtime, 3-2, to fall behind 3-0 in the series. The Rocks would complete the sweep by beating Lucknow 3-2 in the fourth game in Elora, ending the Lancers season a lot sooner than anyone would have thought.

2007-08 Lancers Season
Due to expansion in the league, the defending North Division champions would move over into the South Division. The Lancers first season in the South saw the team have its worst season since 2001-02, as they would have a 14-12-0 record, earning 28 points, which was fourteen less points than the 42 they finished the year before. Lucknow finished in fifth in the South, earning a spot in the "A playoffs.

The Lancers opened the playoffs against the Drayton Icemen, and it was the Drayton who took a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 victory in the series opener. Lucknow tied the series up in game two with some solid goaltending, defeating the Icemen 3-2. The series moved to Drayton for the next two games, but it was Lucknow who kept winning, taking a 3-1 series lead, and the Lancers clinched the series in the fifth game, shutting out the Icemen 10-0, advancing to the semi-finals.

Lucknow faced the Milverton Four Wheel Drives in the "A" semi-finals, and Milverton opened the series up with a 3-2 win. The Lancers tied the series in the second game, shutting out the Drives 2-0. Milverton once again took the series lead in game three, with a 5-4 win, however, Lucknow would again tie the series, winning the fourth game 5-2. It looked as if the teams exchanging wins would continue in the fifth game, as Milverton held a 5-3 lead in the third period, but Lucknow stormed back, scoring two goals in fifty seconds, to send the game into overtime. The Lancers completed the comeback with a goal in the extra period to take a 3-2 series lead. The Drives would tie the series up with a solid 9-6 win in the sixth game, setting up a seventh and deciding game. The Lancers would manage to hold off Milverton by a 5-4 score, and advance to the "A" finals.

The Lancers would face the Palmerston 81's for the "A" championship, and they would take an early series lead, defeating Palmerston 5-4 in the series opener. The 81's rebounded, taking the next two games by scores of 6-4 and 7-1 to take a 2-1 series lead. The Lancers would even it up in the fourth game, handing the 81's a 7-5 loss, and evening the series up at two games each. Palmerston would dominate the fifth game, winning 7-3, and take a 3-2 series lead. The Lancers and 81's would play a very close sixth game, however, it would be Palmerston winning the game 3-2, and winning the series 4-2, ending the Lancers season two wins short of the "A" championship.

2008-09 Lancers Season
Once again due to expansion, the Lancers shifted divisions, as they were placed back in the North Division. The team would continue to struggle, as they posted a record of 9-9-2, earning 20 points, which was their lowest total since the 2001-02 season. Lucknow finished in seventh place in the North Division.

The Lancers faced off against the Elora Rocks in the best of seven "AA" qualifying series. Elora cruised to a 6-1 victory in the first game, however, Lucknow evened the series up with a solid 3-1 win in the second game. The Rocks once again took the series lead in the third game, defeating the Lancers 5-3, followed by a blowout Elora victory in the fourth game, in which they won 7-1, to take a 3-1 series lead. The Rocks ended the series in the fifth game, defeating Lucknow 5-3 to send the Lancers to the "A" playoffs.

Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T= Tie, OL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Related links

 * Lucknow, Ontario


 * Western Ontario Athletic Association


 * WOAA Senior Hockey League