Ice hockey team in Fresno, California
Fresno Falcons
|
---|
|
City
| Fresno
,
California
|
---|
League
| Pacific Coast Hockey League
(1946?50)
Pacific Coast Senior League
(1952?53)
Cal-Neva Hockey League
(1968?72)
Pacific Southwest Hockey League
(1972?95)
Sunshine Hockey League
(1994?95)
West Coast Hockey League
(1995?2003)
ECHL
(2003?08)
|
---|
Home arena
| Selland Arena
Save Mart Center
|
---|
|
Taylor Cups
| 1
(
2001?02
)
|
---|
PSHL champions
| 10
(1972?73, 1973?74, 1974?75, 1975?76, 1977?78, 1979?80, 1983?84, 1985?86, 1986?87, 1993?94)
|
---|
ECHL Division Champions
| 1
(
2005?06
)
|
---|
The
Fresno Falcons
were a minor league
hockey
team. They were charter members of several long standing leagues in the western
United States
including the
Pacific Southwest Hockey League
and the
West Coast Hockey League
. In their final years, they were members of the
ECHL
(formerly East Coast Hockey League). They were located in
Fresno, California
.
Early history
[
edit
]
The Fresno Hockey Club, originally known as the Flyers, was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the
Pacific Coast Hockey League
, where they played until the league folded in 1950. The all time goal leader is Adrian Marin with 40 goals in a season
The team picked up in 1952 for a season in the
Pacific Coast Senior League
. Following just one season, hockey was dormant in Fresno until 1968, when the Fresno Aces were introduced for a season in the short-lived Cal-Neva Hockey League.
Cal-Neva was a loosely linked group of professional and semi-pro teams from around the West Coast. The league lacked structure, and played games for a selection of regional championships rather than a league championship. In the 1970?71 season, the Las Vegas Gamblers club was expelled from the league, following numerous rules violations. The Gamblers were in first place at the time, and all records of games involving them were voided. The league was dissolved following the 1971-72 season, as league commissioners cited the need for more structure, and without a
Nevada
team, a need for a new name.
During the 1968?69 season, Fresno's team was officially known as the Fresno Aces. For 1969?70, the name was changed back to the Fresno Falcons.
Playing in the PSHL
[
edit
]
The
Pacific Southwest Hockey League
was founded in 1972 following the dissolution of the Cal-Neva Hockey League. and the Falcons were one of the league's staples, as the only franchise in the league that was present from its beginning, throughout to the 1995?96 merger that formed the
West Coast Hockey League
.
The Falcons were the PSHL's signature franchise largely due to convenience and the availability of a then-relatively new showcase arena,
Selland Arena
in Fresno's Convention Center. At times throughout the league's history, some games even if not involving the Falcons were held at Selland Arena, including several Championship Finals series throughout the 1970s.
A PSHL season ranged from 15 to 30 games each between anywhere from 4 to 8 teams. Franchises shifted frequently, often with new teams appearing the next season from the same cities. The mainstays of the league were the Falcons, the Los Angeles Bruins and later in the league's history, the Burbank or Los Angeles Jets and the West Covina or California Blackhawks (later just Hawks).
Falcons games were often paired with side attractions when it came to teams' marketing, including
broomball
and
roller derby
.
Joining the WCHL/merging with the ECHL
[
edit
]
Following an experimental partnership with the
Sunshine Hockey League
in 1994?95, The Falcons became a charter member of the professional
West Coast Hockey League
to begin the 1995?96 season. The team was a member throughout the league's eight-year existence. During the 1997?98 season they were known as
Fresno's Fighting Falcons
. Fresno won the league's Taylor Cup championship for the 2001?02 season, defeating the
Idaho Steelheads
in the finals.
Along with other active WCHL teams, the Falcons joined the ECHL after the West Coast Hockey League was absorbed by the larger league in 2003.
Affiliates
[
edit
]
Arenas
[
edit
]
For most of its history, the team played at Fresno's
Selland Arena
, and their green and gold colors and hard-knocks play made them a staple of sports and entertainment in Fresno. The Falcons were the centerpieces of the league, as the Falcons dominated, winning sixteen league championships in 24 seasons.
The Falcons moved to the
Save Mart Center
on the campus of
California State University, Fresno
to coincide with their transfer to the ECHL in 2003. They played there until returning to Selland Arena in 2008.
Financial troubles and franchise's end
[
edit
]
On December 22, 2008, Fresno Hockey Club, LLC announced that the Fresno Falcons team would cease operations immediately citing operating cost due to dwindling attendance, lack of corporate sponsorships and the faltering economy.
[2]
President Dave Dakers of the
Victoria Salmon Kings
ECHL team expressed some negative commentary on the Falcons team management abilities, but praised the team itself as being "competitive". The owners did not do all they could to salvage the situation, according to Dakers and gave up too easily as there were still other options available to minimize the economic damage. He was rather disappointed and not too pleased as quoted in the
Victoria Times Colonist
newspaper article.
[3]
The Falcons were the second team that season to fold, following the
Augusta Lynx
. Arguments were made that the ECHL had expanded into markets that were unable to sustain their market, though the perception in Fresno's case was that the franchise had issues beyond that which prevented the team from being profitable. Fresno was without hockey at any level until the
Fresno Monsters
began play in the 2009?10 season in the
Tier III Junior A
Western States Hockey League
. The city briefly hosted two junior teams called the Monsters from 2010 to 2013 when the
Tier II
North American Hockey League
expanded into Fresno. In 2013, the NAHL Monsters relocated to
Wenatchee, Washington
; however, the Monsters continue to field a team in the WSHL.
Season records
[
edit
]
Season
|
League
|
Division
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
OTL
|
SOL
|
PTS
|
PCT
|
GF
|
GA
|
PIM
|
Coach(es)
|
Result
|
1968?69
|
Cal-Neva
|
CA-NV
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
14
|
0.583
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Stuart Beaulne
|
San Joaquin Valley Champions
|
1969?70
|
Cal-Neva
|
CA-NV
|
20
|
8
|
11
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
17
|
0.425
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Did not qualify
|
1970?71
|
Cal-Neva
|
CA-NV
|
13
|
10
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
22
|
0.846
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Cal-Neva Hockey League Champions
|
1971?72
|
Cal-Neva
|
CA-NV
|
19
|
14
|
5
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
28
|
0.737
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Lost in Cal-Neva Finals to West Covina Eagles
|
1972?73
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
15
|
12
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
25
|
0.833
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1973?74
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
13
|
2
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
29
|
0.806
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1974?75
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
14
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
30
|
0.833
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1975?76
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
14
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
31
|
0.861
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1976?77
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
22
|
8
|
11
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
19
|
0.432
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Did not qualify
|
1977?78
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
20
|
13
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
28
|
0.700
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1978?79
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
12
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
30
|
0.750
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1979?80
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
11
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
24
|
0.667
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
PSHL champions
|
1980?81
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
11
|
6
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
23
|
0.639
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1981?82
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
16
|
2
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
32
|
0.889
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1982?83
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
14
|
3
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
29
|
0.806
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Lorne Nadeau
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1983?84
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
13
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
28
|
0.778
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
PSHL champions
|
1984?85
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
10
|
7
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
21
|
0.583
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1985?86
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
15
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
31
|
0.861
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
PSHL champions
|
1986?87
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
16
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
33
|
0.917
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
PSHL champions
|
1987?88
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
20
|
12
|
5
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
24
|
0.675
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Los Angeles Bruins
|
1988?89
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
21
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
20
|
0.476
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL semi-finals to Burbank Jets
|
1989?90
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
9
|
9
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
18
|
0.500
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to San Diego Surf
|
1990?91
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
5
|
12
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
11
|
0.306
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Did not qualify
|
1991?92
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
18
|
12
|
4
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
26
|
0.722
|
106
|
82
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to Lake Arrowhead/Los Angeles Jets
|
1992?93
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
24
|
16
|
5
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
35
|
0.729
|
208
|
115
|
n/a
|
Darryl Lauer
|
Lost in PSHL Finals to California Hawks
|
1993?94
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
John Olver
|
PSHL champions
|
1994?95
|
PSHL
|
PSHL
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
John Olver
|
|
1995?96
|
WCHL
|
WCHL
|
58
|
30
|
21
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
67
|
0.578
|
270
|
232
|
1454
|
John Olver
|
Lost in finals
|
1996?97
|
WCHL
|
WCHL
|
64
|
38
|
20
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
82
|
0.641
|
313
|
254
|
1851
|
Guy Gadowsky
|
Lost in round 1
|
1997?98
|
WCHL
|
WCHLS
|
64
|
33
|
29
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
68
|
0.531
|
273
|
262
|
2018
|
Guy Gadowsky
|
Lost in round 1
|
1998?99
|
WCHL
|
WCHLS
|
70
|
35
|
31
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
74
|
0.529
|
257
|
296
|
2172
|
Guy Gadowsky
|
Lost in round 2
|
1999?00
|
WCHL
|
WCHLS
|
72
|
27
|
38
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
61
|
0.424
|
262
|
307
|
2181
|
Blaine Moore
|
Did not qualify
|
2000?01
|
WCHL
|
WCHLS
|
72
|
44
|
22
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
94
|
0.653
|
259
|
221
|
1746
|
Blaine Moore
|
Lost in round 1
|
2001?02
|
WCHL
|
WCHLS
|
72
|
33
|
31
|
0
|
8
|
0
|
74
|
0.514
|
242
|
267
|
2108
|
Blaine Moore
|
WCHL Taylor Cup Champions
|
2002?03
|
WCHL
|
WCHL
|
72
|
35
|
28
|
0
|
9
|
0
|
79
|
0.549
|
243
|
235
|
2170
|
Blaine Moore
|
Lost in finals
|
2003?04
|
ECHL
|
Pacific
|
72
|
23
|
43
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
52
|
0.361
|
187
|
275
|
1815
|
Blaine Moore
,
Greg Spenrath
|
Did not qualify
|
2004?05
|
ECHL
|
West
|
72
|
39
|
25
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
86
|
0.597
|
204
|
217
|
1800
|
Greg Spenrath
|
Did not qualify
|
2005?06
|
ECHL
|
Pacific
|
72
|
43
|
15
|
14
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0.694
|
230
|
205
|
1572
|
Matt Thomas
|
Lost in National Conference Finals (Alaska)
|
2006?07
|
ECHL
|
Pacific
|
72
|
34
|
29
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
77
|
0.535
|
195
|
197
|
1555
|
Matt Thomas
|
Lost in round 1 (Bakersfield)
|
2007?08
|
ECHL
|
Pacific
|
72
|
42
|
22
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
92
|
0.639
|
242
|
216
|
1565
|
Matt Thomas
|
Lost in round 1 (Utah)
|
2008?09
|
ECHL
|
Pacific
|
30
|
18
|
10
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
38
|
0.633
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Matt Thomas
|
Team suspends operations
|
Totals
|
|
|
1333
|
725
|
473
|
85
|
49
|
0
|
1584
|
0.594
|
3491
|
3411
|
24007
|
|
|
Championships
[
edit
]
1968?69 San Joaquin Valley Champions
1970?71 Cal-Neva Hockey League Champions
1972?73 PSHL champions
1973?74 PSHL champions
1974?75 PSHL champions
1975?76 PSHL champions
1977?78 PSHL champions
1979?80 PSHL champions
1983?84 PSHL champions
1985-86 PSHL champions
1986-87 PSHL champions
1993?94 PSHL champions
2001?02 Taylor Cup Champions (WCHL)
2005?06 Pacific Division Champions (ECHL)
References
[
edit
]
|
---|
Relocated
(still active)
| |
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|
---|
Western Conference
| Eastern Conference
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|