The Cincinnati Swords are a defunct American Hockey League team, founded in 1971, when the newly created NHL expansion team, Buffalo Sabres, exercised their option to create their own AHL farm team to replace the team they forced out of the AHL, the Buffalo Bisons. Originally the Sabres wished to place the team in Florida but this was voted down by the AHL, so the Sabres instead put the franchise in Cincinnati. Although they were only in existence of three years, the Cincinnati Swords were immensely popular with their fan base.
In their first season, they qualified for the playoffs. After a sweep over the Hershey Bears, the Swords lost to the Baltimore Clippers 4-2. The 1972–73 season was not a disappointing one, however. The Swords broke numerous AHL records, including most points in a season (113), most wins in a season (54), most homes wins (32), most road wins (22), most points at home (65), and most points in road games (48). They outscored opponents 351-206. After a sweep over the Richmond Robins and a 4-2 series win over the Virginia Wings in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, the Cincinnati Swords became Calder Cup champions after defeating the previous Calder Cup champions, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, 4-1.
The third season was the final season for the Swords. They qualified for the playoffs, but lost to the eventual Calder Cup champions later that year, Hershey Bears, 4-1.
In 1974, Cincinnati was granted an expansion franchise in the World Hockey Association (the Cincinnati Stingers) to begin play in 1975-76. The Sabres then elected to fold the Swords after the 1973-74 season.
Famous quotes containing the word swords:
“If all would lead their lives in love like me,
Then bloody swords and armor should not be;
No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleeps should move,
Unless alarm came from the camp of love.”
—Thomas Campion (1567–1620)