The Niagara RiverHawks are a Junior ice hockey team based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League .

Niagara RiverHawks
CityNiagara Falls, Ontario
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceSouth
DivisionSouth Bloomfield
Founded1987
Home arenaGale Centre
Coloursmaroon, black, white, silver        
General managerFred Sacco
Head coachTim Barath
Franchise history
1987–1999: Chippawa Merchants
1999–2014: Chippawa RiverHawks
2014–present : Niagara RiverHawks
Championships
League champions2000 and 2001
Clarence Schmalz Cups2001

History

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In 1987, the Chippawa Merchants were granted an OHA Junior C franchise and were based in the Chippawa Willoughby Arena.

In 1999, the Chippawa Merchants changed their team name to the RiverHawks.

In 2001, the RiverHawks defeated the Belle River Canadiens of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1 to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as Ontario Hockey Association provincial Junior C champions.

In 2010, the RiverHawks left the Chippawa Willoughby Arena for the brand new Gale Centre, located in Niagara Falls. As a part of the move the team changed colours from their original red, white and black scheme to teal, gray and white with orange trim.

In 2014, the RiverHawks were granted a name change to the Niagara RiverHawks to reflect their use of the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls as their home arena, and their at-large status by not being affiliated with a specific Junior B hockey club.

For the 2016-17 season the Riverhawks became part of the Junior C hockey re-structure in Southern Ontario. All junior C leagues joined under one umbrella as the Provincial Junior Hockey League. The former Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League became the Bloomfield Division of the South Conference.

The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game.

Season-by-season record

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Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1987-88 39 13 21 5 - 185 226 31 6th NJC-E
1988-89 40 23 14 3 - -- -- 49 1st NJC-E
1989-90 40 16 22 2 - -- -- 34 5th NJC-E
1990-91 36 11 19 6 - 174 211 28 4th NJC-E
1991-92 36 19 15 2 - 189 152 40 3rd NJC-E Lost final
1992-93 42 27 9 6 - 265 140 60 2nd NJC-E
1993-94 41 26 11 4 - 240 158 56 3rd NJC-E
1994-95 35 31 2 2 - 223 87 64 1st NJC-E
1995-96 36 17 10 9 - 148 136 43 3rd NJC-E
1996-97 36 25 10 1 0 191 133 51 3rd NJC-E
1997-98 42 25 14 2 1 214 145 53 3rd NJC-E
1998-99 36 22 12 2 0 153 107 46 3rd NJC-E
1999-00 36 32 4 - 0 220 98 64 1st NJC-E Won League, lost CSC SF
2000-01 36 31 0 4 1 202 79 67 1st NJC-E Won League, won CSC
2001-02 36 25 9 1 1 173 110 52 1st NJC-E
2002-03 36 15 12 6 1 109 93 37 5th NJCHL
2003-04 36 18 16 2 0 140 159 38 6th NJCHL
2004-05 36 18 15 2 1 136 127 39 6th NJCHL
2005-06 36 11 19 3 3 135 177 28 8th NJCHL Lost quarter-final
2006-07 36 13 21 1 1 147 190 28 9th NJCHL
2007-08 36 14 18 2 2 161 166 32 10th NJCHL Lost semi-final
2008-09 36 19 14 - 3 171 150 41 8th NJCHL lost semi-final
2009-10 36 20 13 - 3 155 151 43 4th NJCHL Lost quarter-final
2010-11 36 9 26 - 1 110 196 19 11th NJCHL Lost quarter-final
2011-12 36 15 18 - 3 119 129 33 9th NJCHL Lost semi-final
2012-13 38 19 15 - 4 139 125 42 4th NJC-E
2013-14 35 17 10 - 8 124 115 42 4th NJCHL Lost quarter-final
2014-15 42 21 20 - 1 146 143 43 6th NJCHL Lost quarters, 0-4 (Jr. Mudcats)
2015-16 42 20 19 1 2 160 171 43 5th of 8 NJCHL Lost quarters, 1-4 (Hawks)
2016-17 42 13 28 1 - 140 188 27 7th of 8-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Rangers)
2017-18 42 12 23 3 4 158 210 31 6th of 8-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Lost Div Quarters, 3-4 (Sailors)
2018-19 42 20 17 0 5 143 181 45 5th of 8-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Jr. Blues)
2019-20 43 15 24 0 3 134 167 33 6th of 8-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Rangers)
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 30 17 12 1 0 109 79 35 4th of 7-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Won Div Quarters, 1-4 (Sailors)
Lost Div. Semis, 1-4 (Peach Kings)
2022-23 42 21 16 5 0 161 167 47 4th of 7-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Jr. Blues)
Lost Div Semis 1-4 (Rangers)
2023-24 42 23 14 4 1 168 147 51 4th of 7-PJHL
Bloomfield Div
Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Hawks)
Lost Div. Semis, 0-4 (Peach Kings)

Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances

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2001: Chippawa Riverhawks defeated Belle River Canadiens 4-games-to-1
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