Williams Lake Mustangs

{{Short description|Canadian junior ice hockey team}} {{for|the former Rocky Mountain Junion Hockey League team|Williams Lake Mustangs (1978–1996)}} {{Infobox ice hockey team | team = Williams Lake Mustangs | bg_colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0D4D97 5px solid; border-bottom:#8F9191 5px solid; | text_colour = #000000 | logo = Williams_Lake_Mustangs_logo.png | city = Williams Lake, British Columbia | league = {{plain list| * KIJHL (2011-2026) * BCHC (2026-present) }} | conference = Okanagan/Shushwap | division = Doug Birks | founded = 2011 | arena = Cariboo Memorial Recreation Centre | colours = Blue, Grey, White {{color box|#0D4D97}} {{color box|#8F9191}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} | coach = Tyrel Lucas | gm = Tyrel Lucas | website = {{URL|wlmustangs.ca}} | name1 = Summerland Steam | dates1 = 2011–2024 | name2 = Williams Lake Mustangs | dates2 = 2024–present | president = Tyrell Lucas | captain = Vacant | owners = Tyrell Lucas, Robin Lucas, Gerald Overton, Brad Paddison, Parnell Pinette, Aaron Zurak and Nathan Zurak}}

The '''Williams Lake Mustangs''' are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Williams Lake, British Columbia. They are set to compete in the Interior Division in the British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC) beginning in the 2026–27 season after playing in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bchchockey.ca/bchc-launches-as-sanctioned-junior-a-league/|title = BCHC launches as sanctioned Junior A league|date=April 20, 2026|newspaper=British Columbia Hockey Conference|accessdate=May 19, 2026}}</ref> The team relocated to Williams Lake in 2024 from Summerland where they played as the Summerland Steam from 2011 to 2024.

== History ==

The Summerland Steam debuted as an expansion team in the 2011–12 season of the KIJHL. The town of Summerland previously had a franchise in the KIJHL, called the Summerland Sting, which relocated to Penticton for the 2009-10 KIJHL season, only two seasons before the Steam were founded. In the 1980s, the town was home to the Summerland Buckaroos, a Junior A team in the British Columbia Hockey League. The Buckaroos only lasted five seasons due to continuous losing records. The team had its best post-season run in following the 2015-16 season, winning their division before being defeated by the 100 Mile House Wranglers in the league semi-finals.

The team relocated to Williams Lake in March 2024 and was renamed the Williams Lake Mustangs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Arendt |first1=John |title=Summerland Steam sold, relocating to Williams Lake |url=https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/sports/summerland-steam-sold-relocating-to-williams-lake-7332913 |access-date=2 June 2024 |work=Vernon Morning Star |publisher=Black Press Media |date=22 March 2024}}</ref>

On April 20, 2026, the Mustangs were named as one of 22 teams joining the BCHC, leaving the KIJHL with the remaining 12 teams.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bchchockey.ca/bchc-launches-as-sanctioned-junior-a-league/|title = BCHC launches as sanctioned Junior A league|date=April 20, 2026|newspaper=British Columbia Hockey Conference|accessdate=May 19, 2026}}</ref>

== Season-by-season record ==

=== Summerland Steam ===

'''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, PTS = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

{| class="wikitable" |- style="min-width:55em; font-weight:bold;text-align:right; background:#ddd;"| ! style=width:4em |Season || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Games Played">GP</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em |<abbr title="Wins">W</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Losses">L</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Ties">T</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Overtime Losses">OTL</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Points">PTS</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Goals For">GF</abbr title> || style=width:2.2em | <abbr title="Goals Against">GA</abbr title> || style=width:10em |Finish || style=width:18em |Playoffs |- style="background:#eee;" | 2011-12 || 52 || 15 || 35 || 0 || 2 || 32 || 197 || 300 || align=left|5th of 5, Okanagan 17th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|''Did not qualify'' |- | 2012-13 || 52 || 21 || 28 || 1 || 2 || 45 || 163 || 202 || align=left|4th of 5, Okanagan 14th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Lost Div Semifinals, 2-4 (Chiefs) |- style="background:#eee;" | 2013-14 || 52 || 33 || 15 || 1 || 3 || 70 || 208 || 152 || align=left|'''1st of 5, Okanagan''' 5th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Lost Div Semifinals, 2-4 (Knights) |- | 2014-15 || 52 || 28 || 19 || 2 || 3 || 61 || 167 || 141 || align=left|2nd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 8th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Won Div. Semifinal, 4-3 (Chiefs) Lost Div. Finals,2-4 (Coyotes) |- style="background:#eee;" | 2015-16 || 52 || 34 || 16 || 0 || 2 || 70 || 173 || 122 || align=left|2nd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 5th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Won Div. Semifinal, 4-3 (Chiefs) Won Div. Finals, 4-2 (Coyotes) Lost Conf Finals, 1-4 (Wranglers) |- | 2016-17 || 41 || 29 || 8 || 1 || 3 || 62 || 162 || 103 || align=left|2nd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 4th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Won Div Semifinal, 4-3 (Chiefs) Lost Div Finals, 0-4 (Coyotes) |- style="background:#eee;" | 2017-18 || 41 || 27 || 16 || 1 || 3 || 58 || 173 || 156 || align=left|3rd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 9th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|Lost Div Semifinal, 4-3 (Chiefs) |- |2018-19 |49 |25 |20 |2 |2 |54 |166 |155 |align=left|2nd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 8th of 20, KIJHL |align=left|Won Div Semifinal, 4-1 (Posse) Lost Div Finals, 4-1 (Chiefs) |- style="background:#eee;" |2019-20 |49 |22 |22 |1 |4 |49 |162 |174 |align=left|3rd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 12th of 20, KIJHL |align=left|Lost Div Semifinal, 4-0 (Posse) |- |2020-21 |3 |2 |1 |0 |0 |4 |9 |8 |align=left|''Season cancelled'' |align=left|''Season cancelled due to COVID-19'' |- style="background:#eee;" |2021-22 |42 |22 |16 | - |4 |48 |148 |163 |align=left|3rd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 9th of 19, KIJHL |align=left|Won Div Semifinal, 4-1 (Chiefs) Lost Div Final, 2-4 (Coyotes) |- |2022-23 |44 |14 |24 | - |6 |34 |104 |165 |align=left|4th of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 16th of 19, KIJHL |align=left|Lost Div Semifinal, 0-4 (Posse) |- style="background:#eee;" | 2023-24 || 44 || 9 || 29 || 5 || 1 || 24 || 74 || 199 || align=left|5th of 5, Bill Ohlhausen 18th of 20, KIJHL || align=left|''Did Not Qualify'' |- align="center" bgcolor="Blue" style="color:lightgrey" |colspan=12 |'''Williams Lake Mustangs''' |- align="center" bgcolor=beige |2024-25 ||44 ||15 ||22 ||3 ||4 ||37 ||156 ||193 ||4th of 5 Doug Burks Div 9th of 22 O/S Conf 16th of 21 -KIJHL ||Lost Div Semis, 2-4 (Wranglers) |}<!--

=== Williams Lake Mustangs ===

'''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, PTS = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

== Playoffs ==

=== Summerland Steam ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Season!!Division Semifinals!!Division Finals!!Conference Finals!!KIJHL Championship |- |2011-12||colspan="4"|''Did not qualify'' |- style="background:#eee;" |2012-13||L, 2-4, Kelowna||—||—||— |- |2013-14||L, 2-4, North Okanagan||—||—||— |- style="background:#eee;" |2014-15||W, 4-3, Kelowna||L, 2-4, Osoyoos||—||— |- |2015-16||W, 4-2, Kelowna||W, 4-2, Osoyoos||L, 1-4, 100 Mile House||— |- style="background:#eee;" |2016-17||W, 4-3, Kelowna||L, 0-4, Osoyoos||—||— |- |2017-18 |L, 4-3, Kelowna |— |— |— |- style="background:#eee;" |2018-19 |W, 4-1, Princeton |L, 4-1, Kelowna |— |— |- |2019-20 |L, 4-0, Princeton |— |— |— |- style="background:#eee;" |2020-21 | colspan="4" |''Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus'' |- |2021-22 |W, 4-1, Kelowna |L, 2-4, Osoyoos |— |— |- style="background:#eee;" |2022-23 |L, 0-4, Princeton |— |— |— |- |2023-24 | colspan="4" |''Did not qualify'' |- style="background:#eee;" | colspan="5" |'''Williams Lake Mustangs''' |- |2024-25 |L, 2-4, 100 Mile House |— |— |— |}

== References ==

== External links ==

* [https://www.wlmustangs.ca/ Official website of the Williams Lake Mustangs]

Category:Ice hockey teams in British Columbia Category:2011 establishments in British Columbia Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2011 Category:Kootenay International Junior Hockey League