1986-1992 CARTWRIGHT CLIPPERS
If NHL GMs think that they have it tough putting together their teams, they need to take a look at what rural hockey clubs have to do to ice a team.
Work and family commitments, illness, injuries, car troubles, weather, anything and everything can decimate a roster.
So, when the tiny town of Cartwright, MB, population 300, joined the highly competitive South West Hockey League in 1982, management had to fill out a lineup by pitching players that the prospect of playing on the natural ice of the chilly 'Clipperdome' and driving across frozen southern Manitoba for an entire winter would be enjoyable. Well, it turned out that it was ...
Fortunately, for the Cartwright Clippers, a little help from nearby communities would help shore up an already strong locally-built roster and help them venture deeper each year in league playoffs.
After only 3 seasons, the Clippers would ride a league record 25 game winning streak into the 1986 playoffs. Eliminating Elkhorn in 3 games, they knocked off the Souris Elks in the semis. Meeting the 2-time defending champion Brandon Spectrum Sportsmen in the finals, the Clippers would claim their 1st SWHL title 4 games to 2.
After a loss to the eventual champion Sportsmen in 1987, the Clippers would return to the SWHL final in 1988, dismissing Boissevain Border Kings 4 games to 1 to claim their 2nd title.
Elkhorn Canadians would take a 3-0 lead in games over the Clippers in the 1989 SWHL final before Cartwright ran off 4 straight wins for title #3.
The Clippers kept things rolling in 1990, taking on Elkhorn again in the SWHL final with the Clippers winning their 3rd straight crown 4 games to 2.
After beating Elkhorn in a tough 7 game semi-final series, the Clippers would down the Boissevain Border Kings 4 games to 2 to take the 1991 championship.
In 1992, the Clippers would sweep the Souris Elks in the semi-finals before taking on Elkhorn for the SWHL title. After losing Game One, the Clippers would take 4 straight and their 5th straight SWHL crown.
Meeting Boissevain in the 1993 SWHL final, the Cartwright Clippers looked ready, jumping out to a 2-1 series lead. The Border Kings would rally however, taking 3 straight to end the Cartwright Clippers remarkable run.