The Southern Hockey League was spawned in 2000-01following a meeting of interested parties attempting to bring back apopular brand of hockey that adfolded in 1994 with the arrival of the American Hockey League’s Saint John Flames.

The league initially opened as the Southern New Brunswick Senior A Hockey League, featuring the Lancaster Aquarius ThunderCats, River Valley Home Hardware Rock, Blacks Harbour Silver Kings, Saint John Thomas Construction Alpines and Saint John Kacey’s Stars. Interest from the Hampton area was high, but in the end ice time couldn’t be secured for a sixth franchise.

The opening season was indeed competitive and featured an entertaining final between the ThunderCats and Rock. Lancaster would win the series 4-1 in front of a large crowd at the Lord Beaverbrook Rink.

In 2001-02, all teams returned to the fold with even more parity as teams and the league started to attract a sizable following. It would be the ThunderCats and the Rock in the final again and for everyone who jammed themselves into the LBR, it was seventh heaven for the league. The Rock appeared done in the series, but staged a remarkable comeback and would force a seventh and deciding game.

Fans arrived at the LBR in the afternoon for an evening Game 7 showdown. Just when it appeared Lancaster

Just when it appeared Lancaster had the game and the championship in the bag, River Valley scored two late goals to close within one. The Rock even won an offensive zone faceoff in the dying seconds and had one final shot on goal before the buzzer sounded giving Lancaster its second straight title in dramatic fashion.

River Valley would get its revenge, however, in 2002-03. The Rock was the class of the league and would knock off its nemesis from Lancaster in the final, winning its first championship.

Change came again in 2003-04. The St. Stephen Seahawks entered the league to give it a balanced six-team look, but it was the Stars who would end the ThunderCats and River Valley domination, winning their first crown.

In 2004-05, there was more change including the defending champions, who switched name and colours to become the Saint John Can-Am Cobras. The league also welcomed the Grand Lake Predators of Minto and Doaktown Hitmen into the fold for an eight-team league. The change in name didn’t affect the Cobras. Although the club ran away from the competition in the regular season, the Cobras were pushed in the playoffs and battled to an emotional and draining six-game championship over the Rock. It was the fifth straight season River Valley made it to the league final, a remarkable achievement despite changing rosters and league rivals.

In 2005-06, change met the SHL with the demise of the Cobras, Alpines and Hitmen.

River Valley would make it to its sixth final and capture the league with a win over the Silverkings, an organization making its first championship appearance. The Rock would represent the SHL at the Hockey New Brunswick championships and fall 4-2 to the North Shore champion Dalhousie Rangers.