Virginia Lancers

Virginia Lancers
founding	1983
resolution	1993
history	Nashville South Stars 1981–1983 Virginia Lancers 1983–1990 Roanoke Valley Rebels 1990–1992 Roanoke Valley Rampage 1992–1993 Huntsville Blast 1993–1994 Tallahassee Tiger Sharks 1994–2001 Macon Whoopee 2001–2002 Lexington Men O'War 2002–2003 Utah Grizzlies since 2005
Stadion	Vinton Sports Complex
Location	Vinton , Virginia
Team colors	navy blue, gold
league	Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1983–1987) All-American Hockey League (1987–1988) East Coast Hockey League (1988–1990)
Cooperations	no
Kelly Cups	no

The Virginia Lancers were an American ice hockey franchise from Vinton , Virginia , which played in the East Coast Hockey League from 1988 to 1993 . The Lancers played their home games at the Vinton Sports Complex .

history

The Nashville South Stars franchise from the Atlantic Coast Hockey League was relocated to Vinton, Virginia during the 1983/84 season and was named Virginia Lancers. The Lancers played until the dissolution of the ACHL following the 1986/87 season and achieved their greatest success in the very last ACHL season when they were first the best team of the regular season and then the Bob Payne Trophy as ACHL champions won. The 1987/88 season spent the Lancers in the All-American Hockey League , but moved to the following season as a founding member of the East Coast Hockey League .

Kevin Willison became the head coach . In their first ECHL season, the Lancers missed the play-offs, as a result, Willison was replaced by Dave Allison . In the following season the results improved and the Lancers qualified for the play-offs. In the first round, the team was defeated in four games against the Greensboro Monarchs and was eliminated from the competition. Then the franchise was continued under the name Roanoke Valley Rebels. This played from 1990 to 1992 in the ECHL with moderate success, once the team qualified for the play-offs and was eliminated in the first round. Another name change followed a year later and the team ran as Roanoke Valley Rampage on the ice. In their only season under this name, the play-offs were missed. In 1993, the franchise was relocated to Huntsville , Alabama , where it continued to operate under the name Huntsville Blast in the ECHL's gaming operations.

Team records (ECHL)

Career records

Games: 117 Bill Whitfield

Goals: 75 Mike Chighisola

Assists: 64 Mike Chighisola

Points: 139 Mike Chighisola

Penalty Minutes: 366 Greg Neish

Former players

• Andrei Kawaljou
• / Tim Schnobrich
• John Tortorella

Web links

• Player lists / statistics of the Virginia Lancers