Bradford Rattlers
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| Bradford Rattlers | |
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| City: | Bradford, Ontario |
| League: | Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League |
| Founded: | 1971 |
| Home Arena: | Bob Fallis Sports Centre |
| Colours: | Green, Black, Yellow, and White |
| Head Coach: | Jenya Feldman |
| General Manager: | Jamie Vanek |
The Bradford Rattlers are a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Bradford, Ontario. They play out of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League. Recently, the Rattlers, known until now as the Bulls, were bought out by a local group of investors for the purpose of moving the team up to Junior "A" from the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League.
- Bradford Vasey Juniors 1971 - 1975
- Bradford Blues 1975 -1988
- Bradford Bulls 1988 - 2006
- Bradford Rattlers 2006 to Present
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[edit] History
The Bradford franchise was founded in 1971 as they joined the South-Central Junior "D" Hockey League. The league soon became the Central Junior "C", then the Mid-Ontario Junior "C", and finally after merging with the Georgian Junior "C" league became the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League. Their team's first championship was the Junior "D" OHA Cup in 1973. They won the All-Ontario Junior "D" title by defeating the Belmont Bombers 4-games-to-1. That summer, the SCJDHL was promoted to Junior "C". In 1980, Bradford won their league and went all the way to the Clarence Schmalz Cup All-Ontario Final. In the end, they lost out to the Leamington Flyers 4-games-straight. In 1986, they made it all the way back to the All-Ontario final only to lose to the Norwich Merchants 4-games-to-3. In 1989, the Bulls struck gold. They won their league and then followed it up with a 4-games-to-2 series victory to defeat the Hanover Barons to win their only ever Clarence Schmalz Cup. The Bulls won the league again in 1998, but did not reach the All-Ontario Final.
The Bradford Bulls were bought out towards the end of the 2005-06 season by a local party who own an independent Junior "A" travelling team known as the Toronto Rattlers. The Rattlers toured the United States playing games in junior hockey tournaments and against college teams from 2001 until 2006. The new ownership group wanted the Bulls team moved up to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, but when the Ontario Hockey Association turned down the request the Bulls went renegade. Under the new name "Rattlers", the team is now a member of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League -- a rebel league free of Hockey Canada regulations.
[edit] 2006-07
The Bradford Rattlers first ever game in the GMHL was against the South Muskoka Shield on September 15, 2006 in Gravenhurst, Ontario. The Rattlers dismantled the Shield, winning by a score of 10-1. Andreas Goetz picked up the teams first ever Junior "A" victory in net. Their first home game was on September 17, 2006 against the Toronto Canada Moose, a 5-3 win.
On September 24, 2006, the Bradford Rattlers became the last undefeated team of the GMHL's inaugural season, moving to 5-0-0-0, defeating the (until then undefeated) Richmond Hill Rams by a score of 3-1. The winning streak lasted until October 15, 2006, 10-0-0-0, as the Rattlers picked up an overtime loss to the King Wild. The Rattlers still had yet to lose a game in regulation. On January 21, 2007, the streak ended. Entering the game against the Deseronto Thunder the Rattlers had compiled a 27-0-0-4 record. At one point, the Thunder were leading 5-2 but in typical Rattler fashion, Bradford came back. Sadly, the comback was not enough as they lost for the first time ever in regulation by a score of 6-5. Their league record of 31 straight games without a regulation loss will no doubt be a challenge to ever surpass.
The Rattlers finished the season in first place, earning a bye into the league semi-final. Their semi-final opponent was the Deseronto Thunder. The Thunder game out flying, winning the first two games of the series. With their backs almost against wall, the Rattlers pulled themselves together and won the next four games straight to earn the right to play in the league final. The league final was against the league's second seeded King Wild. The Rattlers squeaked out Game One with a 2-1 victory. Game Two saw the Wild come alive with a convincing 6-3 victory to even the series. The Rats came back on fire and won Game Three 5-0. Game Four and Five went to overtime with Bradford winning 2-1 and 4-3, respectively, to win the Bradford Rattlers the first ever Bob Russell Cup as GMJHL Champions.
The Rattlers will face the WHA Junior West Hockey League's New Westminster Whalers at the start of April in a best-of-three championship to determine the inaugural National Junior Hockey Alliance Champion.
[edit] Season-by-Season Standings
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2000-01 | 36 | 16 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 155 | 150 | 35 | 5th GMOHL | |
| 2001-02 | 36 | 4 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 91 | 210 | 12 | 8th GMOHL | |
| 2002-03* | 19 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 79 | 80 | 23 | 4th GMOHL | |
| 2003-04 | 36 | 15 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 142 | 146 | 33 | 6th GMOHL | |
| 2004-05 | 40 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 144 | 127 | 45 | 5th GMOHL | |
| 2005-06 | 42 | 14 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 148 | 205 | 33 | 7th GMOHL | Lost Quarter-final |
| 2006-07 | 42 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 266 | 121 | 78 | 1st GMJHL | Won League |
(*) Standings Incomplete.
[edit] External links
| Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League |
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| Current Teams: Bradford Rattlers | Deseronto Thunder | Espanola Kings | King Wild | Nipissing Alouettes | Richmond Hill Rams | South Muskoka Shield | Toronto Canada Moose
WHA Junior West Hockey League | National Junior Hockey Alliance |
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