The Phoenix Mustangs were a professional minor league ice hockey team in the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL). The Mustangs played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the grounds of the Arizona State Fair, from the 1997–98 season through the 2000–01 season. The Mustangs came into existence after the demise of the International Hockey League's Phoenix Roadrunners who lost funding from a local Indian community and ceased operations after the 1996–97 season. Their arrival rekindled a decades long rivalry between Phoenix and San Diego based teams in several minor leagues.
| Phoenix Mustangs | |
|---|---|
| City | Phoenix, Arizona |
| League | WCHL |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Operated | 1997–2001 |
| Home arena | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| Colors | Red, yellow, blue |
| Franchise history | |
| 1997–2001 | Phoenix Mustangs |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 0 |
| Division titles | 0 |
| Taylor Cups | 1 (1999–00) |
The Mustangs were quite successful on the ice their first three seasons, including winning the WCHL's Taylor Cup Championship in 2000 with a four-game sweep of the Tacoma Sabercats, with an exciting sudden-death overtime victory at the Coliseum in game four. The Mustangs were not so blessed the following season, finishing last in their final season in 2000–01. The Mustangs were unable to secure a new lease with the Coliseum for the 2001–02 season and were forced to cease operations.
Season-by-season record
editNote: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Final records.[1]
| Season | GP | W | L | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Coach | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 64 | 36 | 25 | 3 | 75 | 267 | 235 | 1656 | 2nd, South | Brad McCaughey | Lost in round 2, 0-4 (San Diego) |
| 1998–99 | 71 | 32 | 33 | 6 | 70 | 260 | 284 | 1932 | 3rd, South | Brad McCaughey | Lost in round 1, 1-2 (Fresno) |
| 1999–00 | 72 | 31 | 35 | 6 | 68 | 264 | 284 | 2085 | 3rd, South | Marty Raymond | Won Taylor Cup, 4-0 (Tacoma) |
| 2000–01 | 72 | 21 | 48 | 3 | 45 | 213 | 333 | 2174 | 5th, South | Marty Raymond | Missed playoffs |
All-Time Roster
edit| # | Player | Pos | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Birthdate | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Tobias Ablad | D | 5'11" | 207 | February 4, 1971 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 32 | Steve Adams | D | 6'1" | 225 | April 11, 1975 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 12 | Alex Alepin | D | 5'11" | 200 | September 18, 1975 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 91 | Jamie Allan | RW | 6'0" | 190 | March 18, 1970 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Darcy Anderson | RW | 6'0" | 194 | July 23, 1974 | North Bay, Ontario | |
| 8 | John Badduke | RW | 6'2" | 212 | June 21, 1972 | Calgary, Alberta |
| Darren Banks | LW | 6'2" | 228 | March 19, 1966 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 16/17 | Ralph Barahona | C | 5'10" | 185 | November 16, 1965 | Lakewood, California |
| 11 | Hugo Belanger | LW | 6'0" | 190 | May 28, 1970 | Saint-Hubert, Quebec |
| Éric Bellerose | LW | 6'1" | 200 | February 7, 1972 | Montreal, Quebec | |
| Jonas Bergdahl | D | 6'0" | 218 | February 5, 1976 | Sweden | |
| David Bilik | D | 6'0" | 200 | December 13, 1979 | Tábor, Czechoslovakia | |
| 35 | Gene Bono | G | 6'2" | 196 | October 15, 1974 | Sandwich, Massachusetts |
| 28 | E.J. Bradley | C | 5'11" | 185 | January 1, 1975 | New Hyde Park, New York |
| 55 | Kevin Brown | RW | 6'1" | 212 | May 11, 1974 | Birmingham, England |
| 30 | Mike Buzak | G | 6'3" | 210 | February 10, 1973 | Edson, Alberta |
| Steve Caley | C | 5'9" | 175 | August 13, 1978 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| Denis Chalifoux | C | 5'8" | 165 | February 21, 1971 | Laval, Quebec | |
| 10 | Clint Collins | RW | 6'0" | 192 | August 2, 1974 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2 | Mark Costea | D | 5'10" | 200 | January 26, 1974 | Welland, Ontario |
| 39 | Patrick Couture | G | 5'11" | 180 | May 28, 1978 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 15/16 | Michel Couvrette | C | 5'10 | 193 | November 11, 1965 | Verdun, France |
| 7 | Mike DeAngelis | D | 5'11" | 190 | January 27, 1966 | Kamloops, British Columbia |
| Frank DeFrenza | RW | 6'3" | 198 | September 26, 1974 | Burnaby, British Columbia | |
| 24 | Dave Doucet | D | 5'10" | 200 | May 29, 1973 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 10 | Jon Dunmar | D | 6'1" | 220 | April 24, 1973 | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Miroslav Dvorak | D | 5'10" | 195 | April 4, 1975 | České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia | |
| 22 | Kevin Epp | D | 6'0" | 189 | August 27, 1974 | Cranbrook, British Columbia |
| 28 | Kristoffer Eriksson | D | 5'11" | 194 | June 4, 1975 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 10 | Robert Fail | D | 6'0" | 190 | September 16, 1978 | Martin, Czechoslovakia |
| Sam Fields | D | 6'3" | 215 | August 31, 1976 | Chicago, Illinois | |
| Dereck Gosselin | D | 6'1" | 175 | February 20, 1975 | Asbestos, Quebec | |
| 30 | David Goverde | G | 6'1" | 200 | April 9, 1970 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 3 | Jessy Grenier | LW | 6'2" | 215 | July 21, 1976 | Chandler, Quebec |
| Jason Gudmundson | RW | 5'9" | 170 | April 9, 1974 | Arborg, Manitoba | |
| Ben Gustavson | LW | 5'11" | 190 | April 23, 1978 | Provo, Utah | |
| 10 | Len Hachborn | C | 5'10" | 180 | September 4, 1961 | Brantford, Ontario |
| 12 | David Haynes | RW | 6'1" | 210 | August 20, 1975 | Kitchener, Ontario |
| 55 | Steve Herniman | D | 6'4" | 215 | June 9, 1968 | Windsor, Ontario |
| Rod Hinks | C | 5'11" | 185 | April 11, 1973 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 17 | Juri Holik | LW | 6'0" | 179 | September 13, 1976 | Jihlava, Czechoslovakia |
| 18 | Tony Iob | LW | 5'11" | 202 | January 2, 1971 | Renfrew, Ontario |
| 28 | Denis Ivanov | RW | 6'4" | 208 | April 21, 1978 | Elektrostal, USSR |
| Jason Johnson | D | 5'11" | 196 | September 4, 1975 | Unionville, Ontario | |
| 20 | Kevin Kerr | RW | 6'0" | 190 | September 18, 1967 | North Bay, Ontario |
| 15 | John Kosobud | LW | 6'0" | 205 | August 26, 1972 | Fargo, North Dakota |
| 24 | Arturs Kupaks | D | 6'0" | 190 | July 14, 1973 | Riga, Latvia |
| Brian Lachance | D | 6'1" | 169 | December 31, 1979 | Vanier, Quebec | |
| 25 | Martin Lacroix | RW | 5'11" | 180 | January 4, 1970 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 22/32 | Corey Laniuk | D | 6'2" | 220 | January 30, 1977 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Daniel Larin | RW | 5'11" | 205 | November 20, 1967 | Laval, Quebec | |
| 7 | Don Lester | D | 5'11" | 180 | April 29, 1970 | Forest, Ontario |
| Tim Lozinik | D | 6'1" | 200 | January 28, 1977 | St. Albert, Alberta | |
| Patrick Lundback | D | 6'2" | 205 | March 12, 1968 | Karlstad, Sweden | |
| 23 | Dave Lylyk | LW | 6'2" | 190 | December 22, 1975 | Guelph, Ontario |
| Rick MacDonald | D | 5'11" | 200 | January 24, 1976 | Evergreen Park, Illinois | |
| 4 | Jason MacIntyre | D | 5'10" | 190 | July 14, 1972 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Kevin Mackie | D | 6'2" | 200 | February 9, 1979 | Victoria, British Columbia | |
| 17 | Craig Martin | RW | 6'2" | 215 | January 21, 1971 | Amherst, Nova Scotia |
| 19 | Michel Massie | LW | 6'0" | 192 | July 2, 1977 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 52 | Doug McCarthy | C | 5'10" | 180 | November 4, 1962 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Jim McGroarty | C | 5'8" | 180 | April 24, 1972 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 10 | Rusty McKie | RW | 6'1" | 190 | October 5, 1974 | Toledo, Ohio |
| 18 | Bobby McKillop | RW | 5'11" | 185 | March 19, 1970 | Kitchener, Ontario |
| 5 | Darren Meek | D | 5'10" | 190 | September 25, 1971 | Williams Lake, British Columbia |
| 21 | Tom Menicci | D | 6'0" | 205 | July 23, 1971 | Westford, Massachusetts |
| 22 | Curtis Menzul | D | 6'4" | 220 | April 6, 1976 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 32 | Dan Milicevic | D | 6'2" | 215 | March 7, 1968 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 26 | Savo Mitrovic | C | 5'11" | 200 | February 4, 1969 | Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| 19 | Claude Morin | C | 5'10" | 172 | September 29, 1971 | Sainte-Foy, Quebec |
| Zbynek Neckar | D | 6'2" | 210 | September 22, 1978 | Písek, Czechoslovakia | |
| 33 | Carlin Nordstrom | LW | 6'2" | 213 | February 20, 1973 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| 20 | Matt Oliver | LW | 6'1" | 210 | March 16, 1974 | Euclid, Ohio |
| 6 | Darryl Olsen | D | 6'0" | 180 | October 7, 1966 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 35 | Eric Patry | G | 6'3" | 185 | March 5, 1977 | Gatineau, Quebec |
| 17 | Richard Peacock | RW | 5'10" | 215 | June 15, 1978 | Salmon Arm, British Columbia |
| 26 | Eric Perricone | LW | 5'11" | 186 | November 21, 1978 | St. Jean, Quebec |
| 2 | Jean-Francois Picard | D | 6'0" | 205 | April 12, 1979 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 3 | David Piirto | D | 6'3" | 230 | August 26, 1971 | Richmond Hill, Ontario |
| Simon Poirer | D | 6'1" | 215 | November 20, 1979 | Montreal, Quebec | |
| Ryan Poulton | D | 5'11" | 180 | January 4, 1976 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| Gert Prohaska | G | 6'2" | 200 | March 31, 1976 | Klagenfurt, Austria | |
| 7 | Bobby Rapoza | D | 6'2" | 225 | September 29, 1974 | Fall River, Massachusetts |
| 23 | Iannique Renaud | RW | 6'3" | 215 | September 19, 1975 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 17 | Serge Roberge | RW | 6'1" | 195 | March 31, 1965 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 18 | Patrice Robitaille | RW | 6'0" | 190 | December 4, 1970 | Sainte-Catherine, Quebec |
| 55 | Jacque Rodrigue | D | 6'0" | 190 | May 7, 1971 | Nashua, New Hampshire |
| 8 | Jason Rose | D | 6'0" | 180 | January 12, 1975 | Martensville, Saskatchewan |
| 26 | Peter Rozic | RW | 6'0" | 202 | February 17, 1974 | Jesenice, Slovenia |
| 44 | Ken Ruddick | D | 6'1" | 205 | August 15, 1972 | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Jason Rushton | RW | 5'11" | 205 | December 12, 1974 | Victoria, British Columbia | |
| 27 | Thierry Ryckman | LW | 6'0" | 190 | April 21, 1975 | Rimouski, Quebec |
| 33 | Steve Sabo | D | 6'1" | 195 | January 7, 1973 | Thief River Falls, Minnesota |
| 6 | Warren Sachs | C | 5'8" | 180 | February 18, 1977 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| 23 | Rusty Saglo | LW | 6'1" | 190 | May 8, 1978 | Kyiv, USSR |
| Francois Sasseville | C | 5'11" | 195 | February 7, 1977 | Saint-Bruno, Quebec | |
| Ryan Schmidt | D | 6'2" | 205 | May 23, 1973 | Des Moines, Iowa | |
| Daniel Schwarz | D | 6'2" | 202 | February 27, 1978 | Augsburg, Germany | |
| 16/2/34 | Daniel Shank | RW | 5'11" | 200 | May 12, 1967 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 19 | Jeff Shevalier | LW | 5'11" | 180 | March 14, 1974 | Erin, Ontario |
| 55 | Jonathon Shockey | D | 6'2" | 190 | June 8, 1976 | Lethbridge, Alberta |
| Eric Silverman | RW | 6'3" | 190 | May 23, 1975 | West Nyack, New York | |
| 35 | Eddy Skazyk | G | 5'11" | 170 | September 4, 1974 | Lockport, Manitoba |
| 16 | Mark Spence | LW | 6'1" | 190 | April 21, 1975 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 16 | Kevin St. Jacques | C | 5'11 | 190 | February 25, 1971 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 32 | Mario Therrien | LW | 6'3" | 225 | May 18, 1972 | Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec |
| 33 | Mike Thomas | G | 5'10" | 200 | April 6, 1971 | Thompson, Manitoba |
| 77 | Mike Tobin | D | 5'11" | 217 | April 25, 1971 | Jarvis, Ontario |
| 20 | Lorne Toews | LW | 6'0" | 200 | June 17, 1973 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Janis Tomans | RW | 6'1" | 200 | February 5, 1975 | Riga, Latvia | |
| Eric Tuott | RW | 5'7" | 165 | July 22, 1975 | Anchorage, Alaska | |
| 5 | Darren Veitch | D | 6'0" | 200 | April 24, 1960 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Joe Wassilyn | C | 5'11" | 203 | January 20, 1974 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 9 | Sean Whyte | D | 6'0" | 198 | May 4, 1970 | Sudbury, Ontario |
| 7 | Steve Woodburn | D | 6'1" | 194 | October 24, 1963 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 23 | Jeremy Yablonski | RW | 5'11" | 239 | March 21, 1980 | Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan |
| 19 | C.J. Yoder | C | 6'2" | 190 | July 17, 1975 | Hershey, Pennsylvania |
References
edit- ^ Hockeydb.com, Phoenix Mustangs Statistics and History
External links
edit- Phoenix Mustangs Mustangs historical site
- game photos by Jennifer Rosevear