Florida Amateur Hockey (1963-1992)

This page details amateur hockey activities in Florida between 1963 and 1992:

Results

1967

The St. Petersburg Amateur Hockey Association set up a youth league that began play for ages 10-14 in the fall of 1966. On September 23, 1967, the Aerosonic Canadians and Tri-Tech Rangers were set to play for the championship for ages 13-17.

1968

• 7/27: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Jets 12:4
• 8/3: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Jets 10:6
• 8/11: St. Petersburg Jets - Jacksonville All-Stars 15:11
• 8/17: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars 10:4
• 8/26: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Jets 6:5
• 9/28: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars
• 11/23: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Jets

1969

• 6/7: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 9:5
• 6/28: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars 7:7
• 7/5: West Palm Beach Bruins - Charlotte (NC) 7:2
• 7/5: Jacksonville All-Stars - St. Petersburg Stars 7:6 OT
• 7/26: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 18:2
• 8/23: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars
• 9/6: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 12:6
• 12/20: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars 11:4

1970

• 6/27: West Palm Beach Bruins - Knoxville Knights (TN) 10:6
• 7/11: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 13:2 - Southeastern Amateur League
• 7/18: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 11:1 - "
• 7/25: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville All-Stars 14:8 - "
• 8/1: Miami Flyers - St. Petersburg Stars 8:5 - "
• 8/8: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 11:5 - "
• 8/22: Charlotte (NC) - St. Petersburg Stars 6:5 - Jacksonville Tournament
• 8/22: Jacksonville All-Stars - Atlanta (GA) 17:4 - "
• 8/22: Miami Flyers - Charlotte (NC) 14:2 - "
• 8/22: Miami Flyers - West Palm Beach Bruins 6:3 - "
• 8/23: Miami Flyers - Jacksonville All-Stars 4:3 - "
• 8/29: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars
• 8/29: St. Petersburg Stars - Miami Flyers
• 9/5: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville All-Stars
• 9/12: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 17:2
• 11/27: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville All-Stars

1971

• 7/10: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville All-Stars 10:9
• 7/16-18: Tournament @ Jacksonville involving West Palm Beach Bruins, Jacksonville All-Stars, St. Petersburg Stars, and Charlotte (NC)
• 7/24: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 8:3
• 7/31: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 10:4
• 8/7: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 13:3
• 8/15: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beeach Bruins 9:7 - St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach were originally going to play Charlotte (NC), but their bus broke down, so the two sides played each other instead
• 8/27: St. Petersburg Stars - Tampa Twins 10:5
• 8/29: West Palm Beach Bruins - Jacksonville Blues 12:6
• 9/3: Tampa Twins - Jacksonville Blues
• 9/4: Tampa Twins - St. Petersburg Stars

1972

• 5/26: Fort Lauderdale - Miami Screaming Eagles 5:3 - 30 minute all-star game involving 13 National Hockey League players including Ken Dryden was played at the Miami Polar Palace - there were later men's hockey games played at the rink
• 6/30: St. Petersburg Stars - Tampa Twins
• 7/1: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 6:6
• 7/2: West Palm Beach Bruins - Tampa Twins 4:1
• 7/8: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 8:7
• 7/22: St. Petersburg Stars - Tampa Twins
• 7/29: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 7:2
• 8/12-13: Tournament @ Jacksonville involving West Palm Beach Bruins, Jacksonville Blues, St. Petersburg Stars, and Pompano - Jacksonville beat West Palm Beach 9:5 in one game
• 8/19: Jacksonville Blues - West Palm Beach Bruins 10:5
• 8/26: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars

1973

• 2/10: Broward Community College - Polar Palace All-Stars 10:5
• Tournament @ Jacksonville: West Palm Beach Bruins defeated Roanoke (VA) and lost to Jacksonville Blues
• St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 3:1
• 7/21: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 6:6
• 7/28: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues
• 7/29: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues
• 9/8: Jacksonville Blues - West Palm Beach Bruins 4:3
• 9/9: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 8:3

1974

• 2/23: South Florida Hockey Club - University of Tennessee Volunteers 5:0
• 2/24: South Florida Hockey Club - University of Tennessee Volunters 10:10
• 4/27: South Florida Hockey Club - Polar Palace White 6:2
• 5/2: South Florida Hockey Club - Polar Palace White 7:4
• 5/15: South Florida Hockey Club - Polar Palace Blue 8:4
• West Palm Beach Bruins and St. Petersburg Stars split two games, before the Stars changed their name to the Kings after purchasing jerseys from the Los Angeles Kings
• 7/27: St. Petersburg Kings - West Palm Beach Bruins
• 7/28: St. Petersburg Kings - West Palm Beach Bruins

Kings won the Southeastern Hockey League title.

1975

The South Florida Hockey Club continued playing at the Polar Palace. The Bruins relocated to the Polar Palace from West Palm Beach, where the ice had been removed. The team was still sometimes referred to as West Palm Beach. There was hockey played at the Lakeland Civic Center during the summer of 1975, with the Lakeland Amateur Hockey Association and Lakeland Lightnings being established.

• 6/20: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues
• 6/21: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues
• St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 10:2
• 7/12: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 6:4
• 8/24: West Palm Beach Bruins - Lakeland Lightnings 13:2
• 8/24: St. Petersburg - Lakeland Publix 8:2 - junior game
• 8/31: St. Petersburg Stars - Lakeland Lightnings 16:6 - St. Petersburg Tournament
• 8/31: Jacksonville Blues - West Palm Beach Bruins 7:2 - "
• 9/1: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 7:3 - "

1976

The South Florida Youth Hockey Association was established and set up a league at the Polar Palace for 1975-76.

St. Petersburg Stars schedule: 6/21 @ Lakeland, 6/28 @ Lakeland, 7/9 @ Jacksonville, 7/10 @ Jacksonville, 7/15 St. Pete St. Stars, 7/16 West Palm Beach, 7/17 West Palm Beach, 7/18 Jacksonville, 7/23 @ Lakeland, 7/24 @ Jacksonville, 7/30 Lakeland, 7/31 West Palm Beach, 8/1 West Palm Beach.

• St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 3:1
• 7/18: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 4:1
• 7/31: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 3:2 (1:0, 2:1, 0:1)
• 7/31: St. Petersburg Stars - West Palm Beach Bruins 3:2 (1:1, 0:0, 2:1)
• 8/7: St. Petersburg Stars - Lakeland Lightnings 18:0 - Lakeland Tournament
• 8/7: St. Petersburg Stars - Jacksonville Blues 8:4 - "
• 8/8: West Palm Beach Bruins - St. Petersburg Stars 3:2 - " - final

Bruins won the Southeastern Hockey League title.

The Suncoast League was played at St. Petersburg.

Standings as of 7/31

1. Hart's Sunoco 6-2-0-12
2. Paulding's Cabinets 4-3-1-9
3. AAA Employment 4-4-0-8
4. Rat's Hole 1-6-1-3

1977

• 7/5: Bruins beat Black Hawks to win South Florida Amateur Hockey League title at Polar Palace

The Lakeland Amateur Hockey Association held a junior tournament at the Lakeland Civic Center on August 13-14, involving teams from Lakeland, St. Petersburg and Miami. A senior league also operated at the rink.

South Florida Hockey Association @ Polar Palace

• 11/29: Green Hornets - Yellow Jackets 8:7
• 11/30: Red Barons - Black Bears 17:8
• 12/1: Blue Marlins - White Knights 8:2
• 12/6: Red Barons - Yellow Jackets 22:4
• 12/7: Green Hornets - White Knights 6:6
• 12/8: Black Bears - Blue Marlins 6:4
• 12/12: Blue Marlins - Green Hornets 10:2

Standings through 12/12: 1. Red Barons 5-0-0-10, 2. Blue Marlins 4-2-0-8, 3. Green Hornets 2-2-2-6, 4. Black Bears 2-3-0-4, 5. Yellow Jackets 1-4-0-2, 6. White Knights 0-3-2-2.

1978

The South Florida Hockey Association played games at the Polar Palace again. The Canada-Florida Old Timers Ice Hockey Tournament was played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg from April 15-22, with 32 teams competing. Finals: A - Thunder Bay - Enoch 5:2, B - Ennismore - Nanaimo 5:0, C - Pictou County - Corner Brook 7:6, D - Cataraqui - Bradbury 4:1, E - Sillery beat Cornwall, F - Florida Oldtimers - Bridgenorth 5:4.

An adult league was also in existence in St. Petersburg. The Florida Hockey League, played at the Lakeland Civic Center, was won by the Lakeland Red Tide. They beat the Orlando Orange Crush 4-3 to win the Dixie Cup on August 22. The Crush had trimmed the Tampa Purple Streaks 5-1 in the semifinal the previous day.

1979

• 2/3: South Florida Old Timers - North Florida Old Timers 7:2
• 2/4: South Florida Old Timers - North Florida Old Timers 7:6

The South Florida Hockey Association was relocated to the newly opened Sunrise Skating Center, though scrimmages and youth games still took place at the Polar Palace.

Standings as of 3/7

1. Blue Angels 10-5-1-21
2. Green Grizzlies 10-6-0-20
3. White Eagles 9-7-0-18
4. Black Death 6-9-1-13
5. Yellow Hornets 5-9-2-12
6. Red Barons 5-9-2-12

• 3/19: Red Barons' - Green Grizzlies 10:3
• 3/20: Blue Angels - White Eagles 6:4
• 3/20: Red Barons - Yellow Hornets 9:7
• 3/21: White Eagles - Green Grizzlies 8:5
• 3/21: Black Death - Blue Angels 3:1

Playoffs

• 3/26: White Eagles - Red Barons 5:1
• 3/26: Green Grizzlies - Black Death 7:4
• 3/27: Yellow Hornets - Green Grizzlies 5:3
• 3/27: Red Barons - Black Death 3:2
• 3/28: Black Death - Red Barons 4:2
• 3/28: Green Grizzlies - Yellow Hornets 4:3
• Yellow Hornets - Black Death 2:1 on series (2:9, 8:2, 4:0) - final

Florida Hockey League

The Florida Hockey League was made up of teams from Orlando, Tampa, Lakeland West and Lakeland East. During the regular season Orlando won four games, Lakeland West three, Tampa two and Lakeland East one. Orlando beat Lakeland East on August 20 to reach the finals, where they beat Lakeland West 8-1 the next day to capture the Dixie Cup at the Lakeland Civic Center.

The Canada-Florida Old Timers Ice Hockey Tournament was played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg from April 21-27. It featured 44 teams from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States, including the Solar Bears, a Florida all-star team. Finals: A - Silbery - Calgary 2:1 OT, B - Edmonton - Sidney 8:2, C - Dundas County - St. Eleanors 5:2, D - Gatineau - Georgian Bay 5:4, E - Mor Peth - Tilsonbury 4:3, F - London - St. Phillips 6:5 OT.

1980

The Canada-Florida Old Timers Ice Hockey Tournament was contested again at the Bayfront Center in April 1980. It featured 40 teams from Canada.

Florida Central Hockey League @ Lakeland Civic Center

Schedule: 8/15: Tampa Bay - Orlando, 8/16: Lakeland - Tampa Bay (2 games), 8/17: Tampa Bay - Orlando (2 games), 8/18: Orlando - Lakeland, 8/20: Tampa Bay - Orlando, 8/24: Lakeland - Orlando (2 games), 8/27: Lakeland - Orlando.

Lakeland clinched a berth in the final, with Tampa Bay and Orlando facing off in the semifinal on August 30 for the right to meet them.

There were also youth games played between Lakeland and St. Petersburg.

South Florida Hockey League @ Sunrise Skating Center (fall 1980)

• Fort Lauderdale Aces - Pompano Beach Blades 4:0
• Boca Raton Stars - Sunrise Skaters 10:4
• Miami Millionaires - North Miami Flyers 4:2
• Oakland Park Wizards - Hallandale Classic 4:2
• Miami Millionaires - Sunrise Skaters 4:3
• Hallandale Classic - Fort Lauderdale Aces 10:5
• Boca Raton Stars - North Miami Flyers 6:3
• Oakland Park Wizards - Pompano Beach Blades 4:2
• Fort Lauderdale Aces - Sunrise Skaters 6:4
• Miami Millionaires - Hallandale Classic 2:2
• Boca Raton Stars - Oakland Park Wizards 3:0
• North Miami Flyers - Pompano Beach Blades 5:4
• Pompano Beach Blades - Hallandale Classic 4:3
• Fort Lauderdale Aces - North Miami Flyers 4:3
• Sunrise Skaters - North Miami Flyers 3:2
• Boca Raton Stars - Fort Lauderdale Aces 10:3
• Pompano Beach Blades - Boca Raton Stars 3:3
• North Miami Flyers - Fort Lauderdale Aces 7:4
• North Miami Flyers - Oakland Park Wizards 9:1
• Pompano Beach Blades - Miami Millionaires 4:2
• Boca Raton Stars - Hallandale Classic 6:4
• Sunrise Skaters - Oakland Park Wizards 5:4
• Oakland Park Wizards - Miami Millionaires 4:2
• Sunrise Skaters - Hallandale Classic 6:3
• Pompano Beach Blades - Sunrise Skaters 3:3
• Oakland Park Wizards - Fort Lauderdale Aces 7:4
• North Miami Flyers - Hallandale Classic 8:2
• Miami Millionaires - Boca Raton Stars 6:3
• Fort Lauderdale Aces - Pompano Beach Blades 9:4
• Sunrise Skaters - Boca Raton Stars 5:5
• Sunrise Skaters - Fort Lauderdale Aces 3:2
• Hallandale Classic - Miami Millionaires 1:0
• Oakland Park Wizards - Boca Raton Stars 5:3
• North Miami Flyers - Pompano Beach Blades 3:0
• Fort Lauderdale Aces - Miami Millionaires 4:1
• Pompano Beach Blades - Hallandale Classic 2:1
• Oakland Park Wizards - North Miami Flyers 7:3
• Pompano Beach Blades - Miami Millionaires 4:4
• Boca Raton Stars - Hallandale Classic 3:1
• Oakland Park Wizards - Sunrise Skaters 5:4

Standings as of 12/5

1. Boca Raton Stars 8-3-2-18 67:42
2. Oakland Park Wizards 7-5-1-15 46:49
3. Fort Lauderdale Aces 7-6-0-14 61:64
4. North Miami Flyers 7-6-0-14 59:47
5. Miami Millionaires 6-5-2-14 40:37
6. Hallandale Classic 4-7-2-10 47:52
7. Pompano Beach Blades 4-7-2-10 36:53
8. Sunrise Skaters 4-8-1-9 49:62

• Hallandale Classic - Oakland Park Wizards 4:2
• North Miami Flyers - Miami Millionaires 6:5
• Miami Millionaires - Sunrise Skaters 4:4
• Fort Lauderdale Aces - Hallandale Classic 10:4
• North Miami Flyers - Boca Raton Stars 4:3
• Oakland Park Wizards - Pompano Beach Blades 5:5

1981

The Bayfront Arena played host to two tournaments, the Florida Palms International Tournament from April 27-30 for players 30 and older, and the Canada-Florida Old Timers Ice Hockey Tournament for players 35+ from May 5-9. The latter included two local teams, the Florida Solar Players and Elder Gators. The Glacier Ice and Snow Arena opened in Pompano Beach in 1981.

• 7/24: Miami Solar Bears - Suncoast All-Stars 10:3 @ Bayfront Center
• 7/25: Suncoast All-Stars - Miami Solar Bears 6:4 @ Bayfront Center
• Suncoast All-Stars - Lakeland 12:1
• 8/7: Suncoast All-Stars - Miami 6:3
• 8/9: Suncoast All-Stars - Orlando
• 12/5: Media Hockey Club of Quebec - South Florida League All-Stars @ Sunrise Skating Center - game refereed by Maurice Richard, who was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale

The Suncoast Hockey League, comprised of four teams, was contested in St. Petersburg during the summer. Standings as of 8/9: Charlie's Oyster Palace 5-0-1-11, Paradyne 3-2-2-8, Neader's Big Al's Pub 2-3-2-6, Holiday House 0-5-1-1.

South Florida Hockey League @ Sunrise Skating Center (fall 1981)

Fort Lauderdale Aces, BCC Rebels, Deerfield, Plum Soup Night Hawks, Hialeah, Boca Raton Stars, Sunrise Skaters, Hallandale Classic, Miami Lakes, Pompano Beach participated.

1990

The University of South Florida club team went 7-3 on the season.

1991

The University of South Florida club team went 7-3 on the season.

Sunshine State Games

Games through Friday: Orlando - Pinellas Park Nickel City 7:3, Tampa - USF 9:8, Orlando - Tampa 5:4, Fort Lauderdale - Winter Park 7:4, Sarasota - Orlando 6:3, Pinellas Park Nickel City - Sunrise 5:1, Fort Lauderdale - Gold Coast 9:1.

Boys

• 7/14: Orlando - Sunrise 11:5
• 7/14: Orlando - Jacksonville 4:4
• 7/14: Pinellas Park - Jacksnonville 6:5

1. Orlando, 2. Pinellas Park, 3. Jacksonville.

Adults

• 7/14: Tampa - Winter Park 6:5
• 7/14: Tampa - South Florida 9:1 - consolation
• 7/14: Sarasota Sharks - Fort Lauderdale Penalty Box Lounge 6:2 - final - third straight title for Sarasota

1. Sarasota, 2. Fort Lauderdale, 3. Tampa

Old Timers

• 7/14: Tampa - Fort Lauderdale 5:4
• 7/14: Jacksonville - Orlando 5:2
• 7/14: Fort Lauderdale - Jacksonville 4:2

1. Fort Lauderdale, 2. Jacksonville, 3. Tampa

In November 1991 Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning beat Orlando 4-3 to win the Pompano Beach Thanksgiving Hockey Tournament Junior Division (U16-18) championship. The Bantam Jr. Lightning lost 5-4 to Pompano Beach in the final.

1992

The University of South Florida had a club team that played at the Sun Blades Ice Skating Center in Tampa. They faced Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee, the University of Alabama-Huntsville (losing 24-1 and 15-0 to them), Duke (beating them 5-0 and 4-2 at Stone Mountain, GA), and the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning among others. The Bulls were 8-3-1 in the Southern Collegiate Hockey Association as of 2/9.

• 3/8: Former NHL players faced Gulf Aerospace team and local members of Hockey North America played an exhibition game @ newly opened Tampa Bay Skating Academy
• 6/3: Stars - Doc Schreoder's Realtors 9:5 - Tampa Amateur League final @ Sun Blades Ice Skating Center

Sunshine State Games

• 7/9: Team B - Team A 6:3 - Over-45
• 7/9: K-9 Development - Remax 5:3 - Seniors
• 7/9: Scratch Daniels - Tidal Wave 7:3 - Division B
• 7/10: Orlando - Sunrise 3:3 - Division A
• 7/10: Orlando - Tele Data 2:0 - Division B
• 7/10: Sunrise - Remax 5:3 - Seniors
• 7/10: Team B - Team A 9:5 - Over-45
• 7/10: Team B - Team A 6:3 - Over-45
• 7/11: Team B - Team A 7:3 - Over-45
• 7/11: Jacksonville - Hooters 6:4 - Seniors
• 7/11: USF - Gold Coast Gators 8:7 - Division A
• 7/11: Jacksonville - Orlando II 7:1 - Division B (Orlando and Jacksonville were co-champions)
• 7/12: K-9 Development - Scratch Daniels 3:1 - Seniors (gold)
• 7/12: Orlando - Coors Lite 7:0 - Division A
• 7/12: Gold Coast Gators - Sunrise 3:2 - Division A (gold: Orlando, silver: Gold Coast, bronze: Sunrise)
• 7/12: Sunrise - Jacksonville 3:1 - Seniors

Sources

• Fort Lauderdale News
• Miami Herald
• Palm Beach Post
• Tampa Bay Times
• Tampa Tribune