The Columbia Inferno were an

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...

team based in Columbia,

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

. Beginning in 2008, the team went on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban

Lexington County, South Carolina Lexington County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 293,991. Its county seat and largest community is Lexington, South Carolina, ...

. However, the ECHL dropped Columbia as a "future market" in June 2014. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum.

History

The Inferno first took the ice in 2001 as an expansion team after a group of physicians dubbed the "Hockey Docs" sought to purchase a team. While officially unaffiliated in their first season, the Inferno soon reached a working relationship with the

Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre. The fran ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

that turned into a formal affiliation the following season and later with Manitoba's

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

affiliate, the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...

. On July 10, 2006, the team announced the end of their affiliation with the Moose and Canucks and announced a new affiliation with the

Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies are owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a c ...

( AHL) and the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

(

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

) two days later.

Demise

The Inferno was originally slated to move across the street to the Colonial Life Arena after the

2007–08 ECHL season The 2007–08 ECHL season was the List of ECHL seasons, 20th season of the ECHL. Two teams suspended operations at the end of the 2006–07 season, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Toledo Storm. Toledo's suspension was granted after Toledo Arena ...

, but legal issues with the arena's funding prevented the move. The team was voluntarily suspended for the 2008–09 season as the team was told that it could not be guaranteed a lease with the Carolina Coliseum in time to meet league requirements. The voluntary suspension was extended during subsequent seasons and, according to Joe Babik, the Director of Communications for the ECHL, included the 2012–13 season. However, as of the 2013–14 season the team had not returned since its 2008 suspension. A March 2014 article in the Charleston-based ''

The Post and Courier ''The Post and Courier'' is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the ''Charleston Courier'', founded in 1803, the ''Charleston Daily News'', founded 1865, and ''The Evening Post'', f ...

'' indicated team owner Ezra Riber was no longer required by the league to pay ECHL franchise fees. Acknowledging his long term personal and financial commitment to the league, the BOG voted that he cease paying dues while affirming their interest in Dr. Riber bringing hockey back to Columbia. The team was not included in the June 2014 ECHL realignment for the 2014–15 season. Columbia was removed as a "future market" by the ECHL shortly thereafter.

Season-by-season records

''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes''

Team captains

*2007–2008 **C – Brad Ralph ***A – Patrick Wellar ***A – Tyson Marsh ***A – Mac Faulkner ***A – Jeff Miles ***A – Donny Grover ***A – Steve McJannet *2006–2007 **C – Chris Thompson **C – Brad Ralph ***A – Mike Vellinga ***A – Tyson Marsh ***A – Jeff Miles ***A – Brad Ralph *2005–2006 **C – Jay Legault ***A – Leon Hayward ***A – Derek Eastman *2004–2005 **C – Trevor Demmans ***A – Brad Ralph ***A – Matt Ulwelling ***A – Kevin Hopke ***A – Robin Carruthers *2003–2004 **C –

Barrie Moore Barrie Moore (born May 22, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Selected 220th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Moore played for the Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals, playing 39 regu ...

***A –

Dennis Vial Dennis Vial (born April 10, 1969) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Vial played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. He also played in the North Americ ...

***A – Sean Owens ***A – Robin Carruthers *2002-2003 **C – Barrie Moore ***A – Dennis Vial ***A – Corey Hessler

Coaching history

NHL alumni

List of Columbia Inferno alumni who played over 25 games in the ECHL and 25 or more games in the

Notable players

* Patrick Couture (

2002–03 Second Team All-Star) * Tim Smith (

2003-04 Leading Scorer) * Rejean Stringer (

2002-03 Sportsmanship Award)

References

External links

Columbia Inferno Official Homepage
No longer working.
Columbia Inferno Booster Club
no longer working.
ECHL Official Website
{{ECHLdefunct Defunct ECHL teams Defunct ice hockey teams in South Carolina Toronto Maple Leafs minor league affiliates Sports in Columbia, South Carolina 2001 establishments in South Carolina Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States Ice hockey clubs established in 2001 Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2008 2008 disestablishments in South Carolina