Fort Frances Jr. Sabres
Encyclopedia
The Fort Frances Lakers are a Canadian
Junior ice hockey
team based in Fort Frances, Ontario
, Canada
. They play in the Superior International Junior Hockey League
.
left the league in 2005. The Borderland Thunder wanted to play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
, but chose to go into hiatus when they did not receive clearance for the transfer. The Sabres have a new ownership group and are the seventh member of the Superior International Junior Hockey League
.
On September 14, 2007, the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres played their first ever game at home in Fort Frances. Playing the Thunder Bay Bulldogs
, the Sabres played the shocker and defeated the Bulldogs solidly, 5-1, to receive their first ever team win. The Sabres first ever goal came 3:14 into the first period by Alessio Tomassetti. Goaltender Ryan Faragher (himself a Fort Frances native) picked up the win with 29 saves.
In the summer of 2009, the Fort Frances team went through a crisis of sorts. With the Thunder Bay Bearcats
and Schreiber Diesels
leaving the SIJHL, the ownership of the Sabres decided to pull their team out of the 2009-10 season despite initially telling the press and the league that the team was operating with a "business as usual" attitude and would not be sitting out during the coming season. It soon came out that the team would play in 2009-10, but under new ownership. Yet again, as the season drew nearer, it became apparent that the franchise was in distress. The team could not find a buyer, so in an effort to keep the team alive, the community came together to take over the franchise and turn it into a non-for-profit organization
. On September 10, 2009, the team decided to change their name to the Lakers.
in their home opener. The Lakers lost 5-2 with an empty net goal, but were in it the entire game. A night later, the Lakers won their first game of their new era by defeating the expansion Thunder Bay Wolverines in Thunder Bay
3-2.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Junior ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Fort Frances, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They play in the Superior International Junior Hockey League
Superior International Junior Hockey League
The Superior International Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The winner of the SIJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern...
.
Jr. Sabres
The Fort Frances Jr. Sabres are the first Junior "A" team to play in Fort Frances since the Fort Frances Borderland ThunderFort Frances Borderland Thunder
The Borderland Thunder are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
left the league in 2005. The Borderland Thunder wanted to play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
, but chose to go into hiatus when they did not receive clearance for the transfer. The Sabres have a new ownership group and are the seventh member of the Superior International Junior Hockey League
Superior International Junior Hockey League
The Superior International Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The winner of the SIJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern...
.
Thunder Bay Bulldogs
The Thunder Bay Bulldogs were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from the Port Arthur section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
, the Sabres played the shocker and defeated the Bulldogs solidly, 5-1, to receive their first ever team win. The Sabres first ever goal came 3:14 into the first period by Alessio Tomassetti. Goaltender Ryan Faragher (himself a Fort Frances native) picked up the win with 29 saves.
In the summer of 2009, the Fort Frances team went through a crisis of sorts. With the Thunder Bay Bearcats
Thunder Bay Bearcats
The Thunder Bay Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
and Schreiber Diesels
Schreiber Diesels
The Schreiber Diesels were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Schreiber, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:The Schreiber Diesels were coached by Bobby Spadoni, a life long resident of the area...
leaving the SIJHL, the ownership of the Sabres decided to pull their team out of the 2009-10 season despite initially telling the press and the league that the team was operating with a "business as usual" attitude and would not be sitting out during the coming season. It soon came out that the team would play in 2009-10, but under new ownership. Yet again, as the season drew nearer, it became apparent that the franchise was in distress. The team could not find a buyer, so in an effort to keep the team alive, the community came together to take over the franchise and turn it into a non-for-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
. On September 10, 2009, the team decided to change their name to the Lakers.
Lakers
The reborn community-owned Lakers played their first game as a non-for-profit organization on September 17, 2009 in Fort Frances. Although the team's third season almost did not happen, the Lakers brought hockey in Fort Frances back with style by playing the defending league champion Fort William North StarsFort William North Stars
The Thunder Bay North Stars are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
in their home opener. The Lakers lost 5-2 with an empty net goal, but were in it the entire game. A night later, the Lakers won their first game of their new era by defeating the expansion Thunder Bay Wolverines in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
3-2.
Season-by-Season Standings
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2007-08 | 50 | 22 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 173 | 183 | 51 | 5th SIJHL | Lost Quarter-final |
| 2008-09 | 50 | 30 | 17 | |||||||
| 3 | 199 | 139 | 63 | 3rd SIJHL | Lost Semi-final | |||||
| 2009-10 | 52 | 14 | 33 | |||||||
| 5 | 153 | 251 | 33 | 5th SIJHL | Lost Semi-final | |||||
| 2010-11 | 56 | 34 | 19 | |||||||
| 3 | 208 | 174 | 71 | 2nd SIJHL | Lost Semi-final |
Playoffs
- 2008 Lost Quarter-final
- Schreiber DieselsSchreiber DieselsThe Schreiber Diesels were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Schreiber, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:The Schreiber Diesels were coached by Bobby Spadoni, a life long resident of the area...
defeated Fort Frances Jr. Sabres 3-games-to-none- 2009 Lost Semi-final
- Fort Frances Jr. Sabres defeated Sioux Lookout FlyersSioux Lookout FlyersThe Sioux Lookout Flyers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
3-games-to-none - Thunder Bay BearcatsThunder Bay BearcatsThe Thunder Bay Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Fort Frances Jr. Sabres 4-games-to-1- 2010 Lost Semi-final
- Fort Frances Lakers defeated Thunder Bay Wolverines 4-games-to-3
- Dryden Ice DogsDryden Ice DogsThe Dryden Ice Dogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Dryden, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Fort Frances Lakers 4-games-to-2- 2011 Lost Semi-final
- Wisconsin Wilderness defeated Fort Frances Lakers 1 two-game aggregate to 1, 2-1 SO tie breaker
- Dryden Ice DogsDryden Ice DogsThe Dryden Ice Dogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Dryden, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Fort Frances Lakers 4-games-to-2