Almost exactly one year ago, the staff of Greenville's new professional hockey team began preparations in full force for the 2010-11 ECHL hockey season. Neil Smith and his crew didn't have any players on the roster, a coach to lead the team, even a nickname or colors for the new team. But they had a plan and worked diligently over the next six months to execute that plan and bring hockey back to the Upstate. The team officially became known as the Road Warriors on June 25, 2010 after an extensive name the team contest that brought over 1,800 name suggestions. Dean Stork was named Greenville's first head coach four days later and shortly after that Jason Spence was brought on as his assitant. The roster began to take shape as the calendar flipped through July and August, and, seemingly, in the blink of an eye the ice sheet was being put down on the floor of the BI-LO Center. The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers were announced as affiliates in mid-August bringing the prestige of six combined Stanley Cup championships to the Road Warriors family. Once NHL and AHL training camps wrapped up in late September, it was time for players to arrive in Greenville and begin training camp with Coach Stork. Three exhibition games gave Stork and Spence the opportunity to make their final decisions on who would begin the season in navy blue and white. Then it arrived, the home opener and inaugural Road Warriors game on October 21, 2010.

The Road Warriors made an impressive first impression on the ECHL as they cruised to a 4-1 win over the Florida Everblades in front of over 4,500 rowdy fans at the BI-LO Center. Matt Schepke scored the first goal in team history at 19:23 of the first period with assits from Connor Shields and Chris Chappell. The Road Warriors went on to win seven of their first 11 games of the season and were right in the hunt as the top team in the South Division. The team's first road win came on November 24, 2010 with a 5-4 triumph in Wheeling and that victory began a 4-0-0 northern swing that propelled the Road Warriors to heights they wouldn't look back from. A 7-1 smashing of Gwinnett on December 2, 2010 put Greenville alone in first place in the South Division and the Road Warriors did not surrender that spot for the remainder of the season. Among the team's 46 victories there were many memorable highlights to look back on:

- Nic Riopel earned the first shutout in team history with a 32-save performance in a 3-0 win over Florida on November 13, 2010.

- Brendan Connolly's 12-game point streak from November 11 to December 2 and earning the ECHL Player of the Month and Plus Performer of the Month awards for November.

- After over 62 minutes of scoreless hockey, Mark Voakes scored a penalty shot goal 2:47 into overtime to give Greenville a 1-0 win over Gwinnett on December 17, 2011. It was the Road Warriors' inaugural Teddy Bear Toss game and the goal brought over 1,000 stuffed animals that were donated to Toys for Tots onto the ice.

- Greenville earned its first shootout win in team history to cap a 4-3 comeback win over the South Carolina Stingrays on December 29, 2010.

- Dov Grumet-Morris started all 12 games for the Road Warriors in December and went 9-2-1 en route to Goalie of the Month honors.

- The Road Warriors twice faced elimination in ninth and 11th rounds of a suddent death shootout on February 5 in Florida, but Jacob Lagace and Mark Voakes scored each time to give Greenville life. Lagace then won the shootout in the 12th round with a goal on his second attempt.

- 6,388 fans, the largest crowd of the season, turned out on February 19, 2011 to witness Greenville upend South Carolina 4-3 on a breakaway goal by Connor Shields with 8 seconds remaining in overtime.

- The Road Warriors won two of three games, including the first Road Warriors shootout at the BI-LO Center, over Saint Patrick's Weekend against Dean Stork's former team, the Cincinnati Cyclones.

- A 3-1 win at South Carolina on March 22, 2011 clinched the South Division championship for Greenville in its first season.

- An impressive 5-2 win over Reading two nights later put Greenville one point ahead for first place in the Eastern Conference.

- It took until the final day of the regular season, but the Road Warriors stomped Gwinnett 7-1 on April 2, 2011 and locked up first place in the Eastern Conference. They became just the second team in ECHL history to accomplish that feat in their first year of existence after San Diego pulled it off in 2003-04.

- Greenville advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals by ousting Elmira in double overtime of Game Four at the BI-LO Center. Sean Berkstresser scored the winning goal after over 86 minutes of hockey.

- Brendan Connolly forced overtime with a tying goal at 19:37 of Game Seven in the second round against Wheeling, but Greenville ultimately fell in overtime.

The Road Warriors would like to extend their sincere thanks to all of the fans who came out to the BI-LO Center this season to cheer on their team. Special thanks go out to the Road Warriors' season ticket holders and Booster Club for their exemplary support of Road Warriors hockey in its first season in the Upstate. The Road Warriors would also like to thank all of the BI-LO Center staff for its hard work behind the scenes during the season along with the off-ice officiating crew, and the game day staff for their time and hard work. Without you all the success enjoyed by the organization this season would not have been possible.

(Image provided by the Greenville Road Warriors.)

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