The 1970s
Several members of the team retired in the years following the Hardy Cup championship leaving the club to undertake a rebuilding program. Regals defeated Port Alberni in the 1970-71 league final but the following year Labatts ended a 10-year domination of the league by the Regals.
In 1972-73 many of the old-time players suited up for a game to boost the injured players fund. They included Rudy Pantuso, Andy McCallum, Barry Lang, George Whyte, Doug Lessor, Gene Strueby, Al Small, Wally Anderson, Bob Keil, Desi Lever, Orris Sage, Ev Henderson and Mel Waldron. Russell Sage joined the Regals becoming the first son to follow in his father’s footsteps.
The team moved to the new Powell River Recreation Complex for the 1975-76 season and dominated the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey League. Even with Len Pepper, the league’s top scorer, the team was unable to put together a lengthy playoff run.
The Regals joined the North West Hockey League in 1976-77 and played in the North Island Intermediate Hockey league the following season before rejoining the PCAHL for the final two years of the decade. These years were full of promise and high expectations but a single Coy Cup semi-final appearance was all the team had to show for it.
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