in 1991–92, as the club replaced Weidenbach midway through the season with Jim Rutherford. Detroit finished the year with a 23–42–1 record, a 20-point improvement over the previous season, and made the post-season for the first time in team history. In the post-season, the Ambassadors nearly upset the heavily favoured Niagara Falls Thunder, taking them to a seventh game, before ultimately losing. In 1992–93, the Ambassadors renamed their team, becoming the Detroit Jr. Red Wings. Maurice remained an assistant, as the club hired Tom Webster, who had coached Maurice as a player with the Windsor Spitfires. Maurice also worked with Webster as an assistant coach with the Spitfires from 1988 until 1989. The Jr. Red Wings improved their record to 37–22–7, earning 81 points, and marked the first time in team history they finished over .500. In the playoffs, Detroit defeated the Guelph Storm and London Knights before losing in five games to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the division finals. The Jr. Red Wings promoted Maurice to head coach of the club in 1993–94, after Tom Webster was relieved of his duties due to a disagreement in team policies. Maurice hired Peter DeBoer as his assistant. Maurice and DeBoer were close friends and teammates whilst with the Windsor Spitfires. In his first season as head coach, Maurice led the Jr. Red Wings to the best record in the Emms Division, as Detroit went 42–20–4, earning a first round bye in the playoffs. Detroit would then defeat the Owen Sound Platers and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to earn a berth in the OHL finals against the North Bay Centennials. In the final round, the Centennials defeated the Jr. Red Wings in a tough seven-game series, winning the final game in overtime. In 1994–95, the Jr. Red Wings improved their record once again, as the club went 44–18–4, earning 92 points, and first place in the west division, winning the Bumbacco Trophy. In the post-season, Detroit swept the London Knights, Peterborough Petes and Sudbury Wolves, earning their second-straight season of playing in the J. Ross Robertson Cup final. In the final round against the Guelph Storm, Detroit defeated the Storm in six games, winning the championship and earning a berth in the 1995 Memorial Cup. At the Memorial Cup, Detroit finished the round-robin portion of the tournament with a 2–1 record, setting up a semi-final match-up with the Brandon Wheat