Southern Hockey League (1995-1996)
Tombstone
Born: 1995 – SHL founding franchise
Folded: 1996
First Game: October 26, 1995 (L 8-7 vs. Daytona Beach Breakers)
Last Game: April 13, 1996 (L 5-2 @ Huntsville Channel Cats)
SHL Championships: None
Arena
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Ownership
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Background
The Mammoths are part of a procession of short-lived, low-budget minor league hockey clubs that have cycled through the North Carolina city’s 4,000-seater Annex arena since it opened in 1989. Seven different pro clubs have skated in Winston-Salem in the past 30 years. Only one, the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (1989-1992) of the East Coast Hockey League, lasted more than two seasons.
The Mammoths showed up in 1995 as part of the six-team Southern Hockey League, which had franchises in Alabama, Florida and North Carolina. The team finished the season in 3rd place with a 30-23-7 record. 23-year old Yvan Corbin (52 goals, 43 assists) led the club in scoring. Wayne Marion handled the bulk of the goalkeeping duties.
The Mammoths advanced to the Southern Hockey League championship series in April 1996 where they lost in 5 games to the Huntsville Channel Cats.
According to the Internet Hockey Database, the Mammoths averaged 1,332 fans for 30 home dates during the 1995-96 season.
Extinction
The SHL disbanded during the summer of 1996 after a single season of operations. There was no hockey at the Annex in the winter of 1996-97.
The Winston-Salem IceHawks (1997-1999) of the United Hockey League replaced the Mammoths in the market the following year.
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