History of the League, Part II - Expansion

The 1985-86 season saw many changes. League President Paul Arsenault contacted Oland Breweries representative Brian Donovan and arranged for Oland's to sponsor the league, hence the league became known as the Oland Lake City Gentlemen's Hockey League. The league also expanded from four teams to six teams; Downtowner Beverage Room, MacPhee Pontiac, Scotiabank Wings and the Dartmouth Lakers changed it's name to Coca-Cola Lakers, and the two new expansion teams were the Builders Market Hawks (known today as Sandtrap Chiefs) and the Cabco Crusaders. In this season there was a 30 game schedule per team. The playoffs saw the 1st and 2nd place teams in the final regular season standings received a bye in the first round, with 6th versus 3rd and 5th versus 4th in the Quarter Finals. The lowest ranking winning team in the playoffs took on the 1st place team with the other winner taking on the 2nd place team in the Semi Finals. The winners of those series played for the Lake City Trophy. 
League budget for the 1985-86 season was $16,452.50 or $2,658.75 per team, also a new rule was added, players had to play 10 regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs.
MacPhee Pontiac failed to finish in 1st place for the first time in their history, finishing in 2nd place behind the much improved Coca-Cola Lakers. Brian McDow of MacPhee won his third consecutive scoring title, while Dave Stewart of the Lakers was the top goaltender. The league introduced the Most Gentlemanly Player Award, Don Foster of the Coca-Cola Lakers was the first ever winner.
In the playoffs the Coca-Cola Lakers dethroned the three time champions MacPhee Pontiac, 2 games to 1. Top playoff scorer was Cabco's Mark Woodworth and Richard Morash of Downtowner was the top goaltender. 1986 Lake City Trophy Champions the Coca-Cola Lakers - Dale Abbott Robert Baert, Kevin Bonang, Mike Bonang, Steve Bonang, Art Cole, Paul d'Entremont, Vic Drispale, Phil Edgar, Don Foster, Des Gore, John Leclerc, Dave MacKenzie, Steve Mallen, Bruce Ross, Ed Smith, Dave Stewart (goal), Bruce Striver, Martin Wallace, Clyde Bonang (coach).

The 1986-87 season had the league expand again, this time from six teams to eight teams. The two new teams were the Seaman Cross Alpines (now known as the Secunda Mariners) and the Scoundrel's Flyers. There were some major changes in the league this season. First, each of the eight teams played a 32 game schedule. Second, the game went from 3 - 15 minute straight time periods to 2 - 15 minute stop time periods. The playoff format also changed, the top four teams in the regular season would play in Division 'A' for the Lake City Trophy, while the bottom four teams would play in Division 'B' for the newly created Oland Trophy. Each playoff series still remained best 2 out of 3. The league continued to play on Sunday and Tuesday nights at the Dartmouth Sportsplex. The league also introduced the Schooner Trophy, which was awarded to the team that finished 1st place in the regular season. The league also approved snap shots or shots no higher than the knee. The Coca-Cola Lakers claimed the first ever Schooner Trophy. Lakers Ron Mayhew won the scoring title, while teammate Dave Stewart was top goaltender for the second year in a row. Gale Provo of the Builders Market Hawks won the most gentlemanly award. The expansion Scoundrels' Flyers completed a successful season by winning the Lake City Trophy, in a 2 game sweep of the defending champions Coca-Cola Lakers. The Builders Market Hawks won the first ever Oland Trophy by defeating the Scotiabank Wings 2 games to 1 in the final. Tom Walsh of Scotiabank was the top playoff scorer and Builders Market's Paul MacKenzie was the top playoff goaltender.
1987 Lake City Trophy Champions the Scoundrels' Flyers - Glen Adams, Paul Allen, Steve Elmore, Rick Gates, Randy Hooper, Chris Howlles, Rob Kelly, Chuck LaPointe, Paul MacKinnon, Bob McEachern, Dennis Murphy, David Naugle, Robert Naugle (goal), Kevin O'Brien, Andy Pulsifer, Craig Vincent, Gord Wheaton, Tim Young.