Columbus River Dragons

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This article is about the FPHL team. For the former National Basketball Development League team known as the Columbus Riverdragons, see Austin Spurs.
Columbus River Dragons
CityColumbus, Georgia
LeagueFederal Prospects Hockey League
DivisionContinental
Founded2019
Home arenaColumbus Civic Center
ColorsRed, black, teal, white
       
Owner(s)Ignite Pro Hockey, LLC
General managerJeff Croop[1]
Head coachJerome Bechard[2]
CaptainJosh Pietrantonio
WebsiteRDragons.com
Franchise history
2019–presentColumbus River Dragons
Championships
Regular season titles2 (2020–21,2023-24)
Playoff championships1 (2021)

The Columbus River Dragons are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League and plays at the Columbus Civic Center.

History

In 2017, the Columbus Cottonmouths, a longtime Civic Center tenant, folded after 21 years. This left the Civic Center without a hockey tenant for the first time in its existence. Almost two years later in April 2019, the Columbus city council voted to award a five-year lease to Ignite Pro Hockey, LLC at the Civic Center.[3] On May 21, 2019, it was announced that the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) had awarded an expansion team to Columbus, Georgia, and would be called the Columbus River Dragons.[4] Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the River Dragons' inaugural season was curtailed after the team had clinched the fourth-seeded Western Division playoff position.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, a shortened 2020–21 season was delayed until starting February 19 consisting of four teams: the Carolina Thunderbirds, Columbus River Dragons, Elmira Enforcers, and Port Huron Prowlers, with Carolina playing all games on the road. The league announced an end-of-season tournament, but it would instead be called the Ignite Cup and not the Commissioner's Cup due to the unusual season format.[5] The Ignite Cup consists of a five-game series between the top two teams that had played at least 16 regular season games.[6] Columbus finished with the best regular season record, qualifying to face the second-seeded Elmira Enforcers in the Ignite Cup where they won the league championship three-games-to-none.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Staff – Columbus River Dragons". Columbus River Dragons. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  2. ^ "River Dragons announce 2019-20 coaching staff". Columbus River Dragons. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  3. ^ Dean, Allie (April 22, 2019). "Pro hockey could come back to Columbus after two year gap". Ledger-Enquirer. McClatchy. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  4. ^ "THE RIVER DRAGONS ARRIVE IN COLUMBUS MAY 21 2019". Columbus River Dragons. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  5. ^ "FPHL Announces Plan to Restart on February 19 with 4 Teams; More Potentially to Follow". OurSports Central. February 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "FPHL Announces 2021 Postseason Format, Teams to Play for Ignite Cup". OurSports Central. March 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Columbus River Dragons Win Ignite Cup Championship". WRBL. May 1, 2021.

External links

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