The Thief River Falls Norskies were an American Junior A ice hockey team based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. They participate in the Superior International Junior Hockey League, a Canadian Junior Hockey League member.
| Thief River Falls Junior A | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Thief River Falls, Minnesota |
| League | Independent |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Home arena | Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| Owner(s) | Stoked LLC |
| General manager | Open |
| Head coach | Open |
| Franchise history | |
| 2016–2020 | Thief River Falls |
History
editThe Norskies were established in 2016 through the efforts of local investors, including former National Hockey League player Tim Bergland. The team's name, "Norskies," was selected through a contest in nearby elementary schools. The ownership group chose this name as it pays homage to the Norwegian heritage in northwestern Minnesota.[1][2]
Competing from the 2016–2017 season onwards, the team hosted their home games at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The competition marked the beginning of their journey in the ice hockey scene.[3]
The team were a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Season-by-season results
edit| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 56 | 30 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 219 | 205 | 65 | 4th of 6, SIJHL | Lost Play-in Series, 1–3 (Lakers) |
| 2017–18 | 56 | 41 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 211 | 133 | 86 | 2nd of 6, SIJHL | Lost Semifinals, 1–4 (North Stars) |
| 2018–19 | 56 | 31 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 224 | 173 | 67 | 3rd of 6, SIJHL | Won Play-in Series, 3–0 (Iron Rangers) Lost Semifinals, 1–4 (Miners) |
| 2019–20 | 54 | 30 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 213 | 193 | 63 | 3rd of 6, SIJHL | Season cancelled |
References
edit- ^ "Thief River Norskies to join SIJHL meetings in Dryden". KenoraOnline.com. June 11, 2016.
- ^ "SIJHL's newest franchise to be dubbed the Thief River Falls Norskies". SIJHL.com. June 10, 2016.
- ^ "Thief River Fall's new junior hockey team starts to build roster". Grand Forks Herald. May 31, 2016.