Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques

The Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques is a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Lewiston, Maine. The L/A abbreviation for Lewiston and Auburn is commonly used in the team's name. The team is a member of the North American 3 Hockey League. The team was a member of the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League (NA3EHL) until 2016 (which was previously previously known as the Northern States Junior Hockey League (NSHL) from 2012–14) and plays home games at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

The Nordiques name is an homage to the Maine Nordiques who played in the same arena when it was known as the Central Maine Youth Center in the North American Hockey League (1973–1977) as a farm team of the Quebec Nordiques while they were in the World Hockey Association.

History
The team was founded in 2012 as the Lake George Fighting Spirit playing out of Lake George, New York. The Fighting Spirit joined the NSHL as one of the seven inaugural teams.

The Fighting Spirit won the inaugural NSHL regular-season championship with a record of 37-4-1. With the title, the Fighting Spirit received an automatic bid, with the second place Syracuse Stampede, to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) United Hockey Union tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament included the top teams from the three AAU-sanctioned leagues; the NSHL, Western States Hockey League, and the Midwest Junior Hockey League.

Prior to the 2013–14 season, the team moved to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire and were known as the AHI Fighting Spirit to reflect a partnership with the American Hockey Institute. The Fighting Spirit captured the team's second straight NSHL regular season title with a record of 31-4-3-2. After falling in the playoffs and participating in the second UHU National Championship in Las Vegas, the team announced a move to Laconia, New Hampshire and would change their name to the New Hampshire Fighting Spirit for the 2014-15 season.

Prior to the 2015–16 season the Fighting Spirit relocated again to Lewiston, Maine and is called the L/A Fighting Spirit (with the L/A standing for Lewiston/Auburn) and plays home games at Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Prior to the 2016–17 season, the Fighting Spirit became part of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) when it absorbed the NA3EHL.

The sale and re-branding of the team to the Nordiques was announced on May 4, 2017. Cameron Robichaud was also named head coach as part of the announcement.

The owner of the North American Hockey League's Maine Nordiques purchased the Androscoggin Bank Colisée and announced the NA3HL team will cease operations.



United Hockey Union Nationals
AAU Sanctioned Junior A National Champions

In 2013 & 2014 MWJHL, NSHL, & WSHL advanced two teams each.