1995 RHI season

title
League Roller Hockey International
Sport Inline hockey
Duration June, 1995 – September, 1995
Regular season
Best Overall Record Anaheim Bullfrogs
Season MVP Canada Guy Rouleau
(Montreal)
Top scorer Canada Doug Lawrence
(Oklahoma)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Montreal Roadrunners
  Eastern runners-up St. Louis Vipers
Western champions San Jose Rhinos
  Western runners-up Anaheim Bullfrogs
Playoffs Playoffs MVP Canada Jon Gustafson
(San Jose)
Murphy Cup
Champions San Jose Rhinos
  Runners-up Montreal Roadrunners

The 1995 RHI season was the 3rd season of Roller Hockey International. It began in June 1995, with the regular season ending in August. The Murphy Cup playoffs ended in September, with the San Jose Rhinos defeating the Montreal Roadrunners to win their first Murphy Cup in overtime of game three. The St. Louis Vipers hosted the 2nd RHI All-Star Game at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri on July 15, 1995.

League business

Franchise changes

Arena changes

The Chicago Cheetahs moved into the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park, Illinois and the St. Louis Vipers moved into the newly opened Kiel Center in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

New uniforms

The Chicago Cheetahs and Los Angeles Blades debuted new uniforms, while the New Jersey Rockin Rollers debuted a slightly altered uniform.

Contraction

The Calgary Rad'z, Florida Hammerheads, Las Vegas Flash (formerly Utah Rollerbees), and Portland Rage all folded after two seasons in the league. The Pittsburgh Phantoms and Tampa Bay Tritons each folded after only one season in the league. Also, the Minnesota Arctic Blast franchise left the league after the 1994 season.

Relocation

The Atlanta Fire Ants relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to become the Oklahoma Coyotes, the Edmonton Sled Dogs relocated to Orlando, Florida to become the Orlando Rollergators, and the New England Stingers relocated to Ottawa, Ontario to become the Ottawa Loggers.

Expansion

The league added two new franchises, including the Detroit Motor City Mustangs and Minnesota Blue Ox.

Realignment

With the smaller RHI and the relocation of three franchises, for this season the league kept the same divisions as the 1994 season, with a few changes. In the Atlantic Division, the Florida Hammerheads and Tampa Bay Tritons folded, and the Buffalo Stampede were moved to the Central Division. The three existing franchises, (the Montreal Roadrunners, New Jersey Rockin Rollers, and Philadelphia Bulldogs) were joined by the Ottawa Loggers, formerly the New England Stingers, from the Central Division, and the Orlando Rollergators, formerly the Edmonton Sled Dogs, from the Northwest Division, to bring the total to five teams.

In the Central Division, the Minnesota Arctic Blast and Pittsburgh Phantoms franchises folded. The Oklahoma Coyotes, formerly the Atlanta Fire Ants, and Ottawa Loggers, formerly the New England Stingers, were moved to other divisions. The two remaining teams, the St. Louis Vipers and Chicago Cheetahs, were joined by the Buffalo Stampede and two expansion franchises, the Detroit Motor City Mustangs and Minnesota Blue Ox for a total of five teams.

In the Northwest Division, the Calgary Rad'z and Portland Rage folded. The Phoenix Cobras and Orlando Rollegators, formerly the Edmonton Sled Dogs, were moved to the Pacific Division and Atlantic Division respectively. The Sacramento River Rats and Vancouver Voodoo were joined by the Oakland Skates and San Jose Rhinos from the Pacific, to bring the total number of teams to four, making it the smallest division in RHI.

In the Pacific Division, the Las Vegas Flash, formerly the Utah Rollerbees folded after one season. The Oakland Skates and San Jose Rhinos were moved to the Northwest. The Oklahoma Coyotes and Phoenix Cobras were added from other divisions to the three existing members, the Anaheim Bullfrogs, Los Angeles Blades, and Oakland Skates to bring the division to five teams.

Season schedule

RHI again increased its regular season schedule from 22 to 24 games per team. In the new schedule, each Eastern Conference team will played their divisional rivals four times for a total of 16 games, and played four other conference teams two times for a total of 8 games, bringing the total number of games to 24.

In the Western Conference, each team played their divisional rivals four times, and played all other conference teams two times. Because the Northwest Division only had four teams, each team played one of their divisional rivals 2 extra times for a total of 6 games, instead of 4.

Regular season

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
z–Montreal Roadrunners 24 15 6 3 175 133 33
x–Ottawa Loggers 24 14 9 1 181 155 29
x–New Jersey Rockin Rollers 24 13 11 0 172 167 26
x–Philadelphia Bulldogs 24 12 10 2 179 165 26
e–Orlando Rollergators 23 7 16 0 135 184 14
Central Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y–St. Louis Vipers 22 13 7 2 166 157 28
x–Minnesota Blue Ox 24 13 11 0 175 209 26
x–Detroit Motor City Mustangs 24 11 9 4 177 181 26
x–Chicago Cheetahs 24 10 12 2 194 194 22
e–Buffalo Stampede 23 10 13 0 169 178 20

Western Conference

Northwest Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y–Vancouver Voodoo 24 13 10 1 203 185 27
x–Sacramento River Rats 24 12 9 3 185 174 27
x–San Jose Rhinos 24 13 11 0 174 174 26
x–Oakland Skates 24 10 10 4 157 173 24
Pacific Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
b–Anaheim Bullfrogs 24 19 4 1 219 157 39
x–Phoenix Cobras 24 13 11 0 158 161 26
x–San Diego Barracudas 24 12 11 1 167 172 25
x–Los Angeles Blades 24 9 10 5 147 164 23
e–Oklahoma Coyotes 24 7 17 0 159 209 14

Note: x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched regular season conference title, b – clinched best overall record, e – eliminated from playoff contention

Conference standings

Eastern Conference GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
z–Montreal Roadrunners 24 15 6 3 175 133 33
y–St. Louis Vipers 22 13 7 2 166 157 28
x–Ottawa Loggers 24 14 9 1 181 155 29
x–Minnesota Blue Ox 24 13 11 0 175 209 26
x–New Jersey Rockin Rollers 24 13 11 0 172 167 26
x–Philadelphia Bulldogs 24 12 10 2 179 165 26
x–Detroit Motor City Mustangs 24 11 9 4 177 181 26
x–Chicago Cheetahs 24 10 12 2 194 194 22
e–Buffalo Stampede 23 10 13 0 169 178 20
e–Orlando Rollergators 23 7 16 0 135 184 14
Western Conference GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
b–Anaheim Bullfrogs 24 19 4 1 219 157 39
y–Vancouver Voodoo 24 13 10 1 203 185 27
x–Sacramento River Rats 24 12 9 3 185 174 27
x–San Jose Rhinos 24 13 11 0 174 174 26
x–Phoenix Cobras 24 13 11 0 158 161 26
x–San Diego Barracudas 24 12 11 1 167 172 25
x–Oakland Skates 24 10 10 4 157 173 24
x–Los Angeles Blades 24 9 10 5 147 164 23
e–Oklahoma Coyotes 24 7 17 0 159 209 14

Note: x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched regular season conference title, b – clinched best overall record, e – eliminated from playoff contention

Tiebreaking procedures

If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the ranking of the clubs is determined in the following order:

  1. The fewer number of games played.
  2. The greater number of games won.
  3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
  4. The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.
  5. The fewer number of goals against.

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Canada Doug Lawrence Oklahoma Coyotes 24 23 68 91 –12 54
Canada Guy Rouleau Montreal Roadrunners 24 37 46 83 +23 25
United States Tony Szabo Detroit Motor City Mustangs 24 50 32 82 +14 18
Canada Victor Gervais Anaheim Bullfrogs 21 23 55 78 +26 62
Canada Daniel Shank Anaheim Bullfrogs 19 24 48 72 +19 74
Canada Harry York Chicago Cheetahs 24 24 47 71 –1 25
Canada Mike Martens Chicago Cheetahs 24 30 40 70 0 25
Canada Mark Woolf San Jose Rhinos 24 29 40 69 –13 36
Canada Chris Palmer Ottawa Loggers 22 35 33 68 +12 24
Canada John Vecchiarelli Buffalo Stampede 23 31 37 68 –2 83

Leading goaltenders

Player Team GP TOI W L OTL GA SO Sv% GAA
Canada Corrado Micalef Montreal Roadrunners 13 565 7 3 1 61 0 .837 5.17
Canada Francois Gravel Montreal Roadrunners 12 516 8 2 2 57 0 .858 5.29
Canada Mark Bernard Philadelphia Bulldogs 11 482 6 3 0 57 0 .853 5.67
Canada Sylvain Rodrigue Ottawa Loggers 17 712 10 6 1 90 0 .838 6.06
Canada Hugo Hamelin Phoenix Cobras 14 629 7 6 0 80 0 .846 6.10
Canada Sean Gauthier Los Angeles Blades 22 1022 8 9 5 133 0 .839 6.24
United States Chris Gordon Anaheim Bullfrogs 11 527 10 1 0 69 0 .826 6.28
United States Matt DelGuidice New Jersey Rockin Rollers
Ottawa Loggers 		19 826 8 7 0 111 0 .809 6.45
Canada Mark Cavallin Oakland Skates 17 743 8 4 3 101 0 .856 6.51
United States Chris Rogles St. Louis Vipers 17 735 10 5 1 100 0 .837 6.53

Playoffs

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, the standard of 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Anaheim Bullfrogs were the Western Conference regular season champions and had the best overall record with 39 points. The Montreal Roadrunners had the best record in the Eastern Conference with 33 points. Division champions maintain their relative ranking during the entire playoffs while the remaining teams got reseeded below them after each round.

Eastern Conference

  1. Montreal Roadrunners – Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference regular season champions, 33 points
  2. St. Louis Vipers – Central Division champions, 28 points
  3. Ottawa Loggers – 29 points
  4. Minnesota Blue Ox – 26 points (13 wins, 4 points head-to-head)
  5. New Jersey Rockin Rollers – 26 points (13 wins, 0 points head-to-head)
  6. Philadelphia Bulldogs – 26 points (12 wins)
  7. Detroit Motor City Mustangs – 26 points (11 wins)
  8. Chicago Cheetahs – 22 points

Western Conference

  1. Anaheim Bullfrogs – Pacific Division and Western Conference regular season champions; Best Overall Record winners, 39 points
  2. Vancouver Voodoo – Northwest Division champions, 27 points
  3. Sacramento River Rats – 27 points
  4. San Jose Rhinos – 26 points (+11 goal differential)
  5. Phoenix Cobras – 26 points (even goal differential)
  6. San Diego Barracudas – 25 points
  7. Oakland Skates – 24 points
  8. Los Angeles Blades – 23 points

Playoff bracket

In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home floor advantage. In the Murphy Cup Finals, home floor is determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-three series follows a 1–2 format: the lower-seeded team will play at home for game 1, and the higher-seeded team will be at home for game 2, and if necessary, the 12–minute period game 3.

  Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Murphy Cup Finals
                                     
1  Montreal Roadrunners 2  
8  Chicago Cheetahs 0  
  1  Montreal Roadrunners 2  
 
  6  Philadelphia Bulldogs 1  
2  St. Louis Vipers 2
7  Detroit Motor City Mustangs 0  
  1  Montreal Roadrunners 2  
Eastern Conference
  2  St. Louis Vipers 1  
3  Ottawa Loggers 0  
6  Philadelphia Bulldogs 2  
  2  St. Louis Vipers 2
 
  5  New Jersey Rockin Rollers 1  
4  Minnesota Blue Ox 0
5  New Jersey Rockin Rollers 2  
  E1  Montreal Roadrunners 1
  W4  San Jose Rhinos 2
1  Anaheim Bullfrogs 2  
8  Los Angeles Blades 1  
  1  Anaheim Bullfrogs 2
 
  6  San Diego Barracudas 0  
2  Vancouver Voodoo 2
7  Oakland Skates 0  
  1  Anaheim Bullfrogs 1
Western Conference
  4  San Jose Rhinos 2  
3  Sacramento River Rats 1  
6  San Diego Barracudas 2  
  2  Vancouver Voodoo 0
 
  4  San Jose Rhinos 2  
4  San Jose Rhinos 2
5  Phoenix Cobras 0  

RHI awards

1995 RHI awards
Award Recipient(s)
Murphy Cup San Jose Rhinos
Eastern Conference Champions Montreal Roadrunners
Western Conference Champions San Jose Rhinos
Coach of the Year Perry Turnbull (St. Louis Vipers)
Defenseman of the Year Chris Valicevic (New Jersey Rockin Rollers)
Executive of the Year
Goalie of the Year Sylvain Rodrigue (Ottawa Loggers)
Leading Scorer Doug Lawrence (Oklahoma Coyotes)
Most Valuable Player Guy Rouleau (Montreal Roadrunners)
Playoff MVP Jon Gustafson (San Jose Rhinos)

See also

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