Espanola Paper Kings
| Espanola Express | |
|---|---|
| File:EspanolaExpress.png | |
| City | Espanola, Ontario |
| League | Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League |
| Division | West |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Home arena | Espanola Regional Recreation Complex |
| Colours | Black, Red, White, and Red |
| Owner(s) | Jason Rapcewicz |
| General manager | Chad Clarke |
| Head coach | Tom McCarthy |
The Espanola Express are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Espanola, Ontario. They are members of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) and play their home games at the Espanola Regional Recreational Complex.
History
The Express were one of two expansion teams that entered the league prior to the start of the 2015–16 season. The team hired former NHL forward Tom McCarthy as its first head coach. McCarthy had previously coached the Espanola Rivermen prior to the teams disbandment.[1] The team played its first game on September 11, 2015, losing at home 4-1 to the Rayside-Balfour Canadians before a crowd of 346.[2] After losing the first six games in franchise history, the team picked up its first victory with a 3-2 win against the Blind River Beavers.[3] Espanola made the playoffs in their first season just ahead of the Blind River Beavers. However, they fell to the Soo Eagles in a best-of-three series 2 games to 0. Espanola finished last in the league attendance wise, averaging only 181 fans per game.
Season-by-season records
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Result | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | 54 | 12 | 39 | 0 | 3 | 132 | 243 | 27 | 5th of 6, West 12th of 12, NOJHL |
Lost Div. Play-in Series, 0-2 vs. Soo Eagles |