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BLBertrand · 09-24-2021, 09:21 PM

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Sun Tzu sums it up pretty well here. Since the Quebec City Citadelles have risen to be perennial contenders they have fought their toughest battles, suffered their most heart breaking defeats, and their most glorious of victories all at the hands of one team - the Anchorage Armada. If learning about thy enemy is the best way to overcome them, it's probably time I do a deep dive on the history of them.

The Armada have, in one way or another, been a part of the SMJHL since its inaugural season - starting as the Prince George Firebirds, they remained there from season one to seventeen before being relocated to Regina under the name of the Force. They remained in Regina for seven seasons, from season eighteen to twenty four before moving back to Prince George where they remained for twelve more seasons, until season forty one. After the forty first season the team was moved for the last time - they were welcomed by fans in Anchorage with open arms where they can be found today, being a thorn in the side of the Quebec City Citadelles.

In their sixty-season tenure in the SMJHL the Armada have tallied up six championships, including the first ever Four Star Cup in season one. Then again in season four and eight before a long drought of thirty seasons. They barely managed to stay above 500 until season thirty two when they placed third in regular season standings, then second the year after. Since then the Armada have managed to stay toward the top of the standings, managing to win their fourth championship in season thirty six - just two years before the franchise would be relocated to Anchorage.

Since moving to Anchorage the Armada have secured two more Four Star Cups, in seasons fifty one and fifty seven, while amassing multiple divisional and conference titles along the way. To this day they have retired ten numbers, dating back to their first seasons as the Prince George Firebirds.

Modern History:
You're probably thinking to yourself - when do the Quebec City Citadelles enter the equation? It took then a few seasons after the fifty-five expansion draft to become a true playoff contender, but once they achieved that goal they remained among the top of the standings, right there with the Anchorage Armada. The Citadelles managed to claw their way into the playoff in their inaugural season, and the one after, but weren't quite ready to make a long run at the Four Star Cup - it wasn't until their third season that they showed enough grit that they might actually be able to take it home. Things were looking good in Quebec City until they met the Armada in the semi-finals, the Armada took the series four games to three. The very next season the Citadelles fought back and were able to snag the cup back from no other than the Anchorage Armada, two seasons in a row these teams left it all on the ice. The next two years would be much of the same, with the Armada getting the upper hand on the Citadelles - defeating them both seasons in the semi-finals and losing in the finals.

Regardless of who won and when, these two teams are developing a budding rivalry that will hopefully blossom into something mean and ugly for our enjoyment for years to come.

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