Idaho IceCats

Idaho IceCats
City McCall, Idaho
League WSHL
Division Northwest Division
Founded 2009
Home arena Manchester Ice & Event Centre
Idaho Ice World
CenturyLink Arena
Colors Blue, black, white, silver
                   
Owner(s) Idaho Hockey Foundation Inc.
General manager John Olver
Head coach John Olver
Championships 5 Thorne Cups
(2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16)
1 UHU National Championships
(2013)
Franchise history
2009–2017 Idaho Junior Steelheads
2017–present Idaho IceCats

The Idaho IceCats, formerly called the Idaho Jr. Steelheads, are a junior ice hockey team based in McCall, Idaho. The IceCats currently play in the Northwest Division of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). Home games take place at Manchester Ice & Event Centre in McCall.[1] The team previously played some home games at Idaho Ice World and CenturyLink Arena in Boise, the latter being the home of the ECHL Idaho Steelheads.[2] In recent years the team has been one of the most successful in the WSHL, winning five Thorne Cup championships over six seasons and appeared in seven straight.[3]

The team is coached by former NHL Colorado Rockies draft pick and former Idaho Steelheads head coach John Olver.[4]

History

Jr. Steelheads logo

The Idaho Junior Steelheads were founded by Idaho Hockey Foundation Inc. in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. The Junior Steelheads, like their ECHL parent club the Idaho Steelheads, were named for a species of seagoing rainbow trout native to Idaho streams and rivers and popular with local anglers.

In the team's first season, the 2009–10 WSHL season, the Junior Steelheads finished 2nd in the Western Division and clinched their first Thorne Cup playoff spot against the experienced Phoenix Polar Bears. The Junior Steelheads won the first game of the three game series 5–3, but Phoenix rallied winning the second game 3-2 in OT and the third game 2-1.[5] During the season, the team received a four-day ban from the city of Boise after an incident at a practice when players missed a shot, they had to take off an article of equipment. An assistant coach told the AP the team was emulating a similar stunt done by the Tampa Bay Lightning[6][7]

On April 9, 2013, the Junior Steelheads defeated the Bay Area Seals 5-1 to win the first ever United Hockey Union junior ice hockey championship in a six-team tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2017, the team changed its name to the Idaho IceCats after the ECHL Steelheads asked the organization to change their to prevent confusion.[8] The new logo is based off another previously Olver-coacched team, the Tacoma Sabercats.

Season-by-season records

Season GP W L OTL PTS GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
2009–10 49 39 7 3 81 238 111 1168 2nd of 8, Western
3rd of 13, WSHL 		Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Phoenix Polar Bears
2010–11 46 39 5 2 80 257 84 — 1st of 8, Western
1st of 13, WSHL 		Won Conf. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. San Diego Gulls
Won Conf. Finals, 2–0 vs. Phoenix Polar Bears
Won League Finals, 2–0 vs. El Paso Rhinos
Thorne Cup Champions
2011–12 46 42 2 2 88 264 92 911 1st of 5, Mountain
2nd of 13, WSHL 		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Ogden Mustangs
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Boulder Bison
3–0 in Thorne Cup round-robin
(W, 3–1 vs. Monsters; W, 9–6 vs. Rhinos; W, 3–2 vs. Ice Jets)
Won Championship game, 6–5 vs. Dallas Ice Jets
Thorne Cup Champions
2012–13 46 44 1 1 89 256 100 1142 1st of 5, Northwest
1st of 22, WSHL 		Won Div Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Seattle Totems
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans
2–0 in Thorne Cup round-robin
(W, 4–3 vs. Monsters; W, 10–1 vs. Spartans)
Won Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans
Won Championship game, 4–2 vs. Bay Area Seals
Thorne Cup Champions
2013–14 46 39 5 2 80 218 93 1227 1st of 6, Northwest
2nd of 24, WSHL 		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Missoula Maulers
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Ogden Mustangs
1–2 in Thorne Cup round-robin (as wild card)
(L, 2–4 vs. Rhinos; OTL, 3–4 vs. Monsters; W, 7–2 vs. Mustangs)
Won Semifinal game, 3–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
Lost Championship game, 3–7 vs. El Paso Rhinos
2014–15 46 42 2 2 86 290 74 822 1st of 7, Northwest
1st of 28, WSHL 		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Whitefish Wolverines
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Missoula Maulers
Won Thorne Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Fresno Monsters
Won Thorne Cup Finals, 3–1 vs. El Paso Rhinos
Thorne Cup Champions
2015–16 52 44 7 1 89 334 78 818 1st of 8, Northwest
2nd of 29, WSHL 		Div. Quarterfinals, Bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Whitefish Wolverines
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Missoula Maulers
Won Thorne Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Long Beach Bombers
Won Thorne Cup Finals, 3–0 vs. Colorado Jr. Eagles
Thorne Cup Champions
2016–17 52 43 5 4 90 273 99 910 1st of 7, Northwest
2nd of 27, WSHL 		Div. Quarterfinals, Bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Tahoe Icemen
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Butte Cobras
1–2–0, 4th of 6, Thorne Cup round-robin
(L, 2–3 vs. Mustangs; W, 3–1 vs. Flyers; L, 1–2 vs.Jr. Thunder)
Won Thorne Cup Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. Valencia Flyers
Lost Thorne Cup Championship game, 3–4 vs. Wichita Jr. Thunder

United Hockey Union National Championship Tournament

AAU Sanctioned Junior A National Championship
In 2013 and 2014, the Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL), Northern States Hockey League (NSHL), and the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) advanced two teams each to the tournament.
There was no UHU tournament held after the 2015 season.

Year Round Robin Record
Ranking 		Semifinal Game Championship Game
2013 W, Tennyson Chevrolet (MWJHL) 4–3
W, Lake George Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 3–0
W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 5–1		 3–0–0
1st of 6 		W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 6–2 W, Bay Area Seals (WSHL) 5–1
National Champions
2014 W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 3–0
SOW, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 3–2
OTL, AHI Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 5–6		 2–0–1
1st of 6 		W, AHI Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 6–1L, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 3–6

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mccallstarnews.com/pages/fp_stories_page.html
  2. ↑ http://highnoondesign.com/jrsteelheads/qwest-arena-game-1010-730/
  3. ↑ "LOCAL ROUNDUP: Yotes' frosh Pfaff reaches NAIA final", The Idaho Press-Tribune, May 22, 2015. (accessed 5 June 2015)
  4. ↑ http://www.mccallstarnews.com/pages/fp_stories_page.html
  5. ↑ http://www.wshl.org/schedResultsWestern_content.htm
  6. ↑ http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4600688
  7. ↑ http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/33498262/ns/sports-nhl/
  8. ↑ "IDAHO ICECATS take over for the Idaho Jr. Steelheads". WSHL. July 27, 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.