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Helena Bighorns
Helena Bighorns logo
City: Helena, Montana
League: NA3HL
Division: Frontier
Founded: 2004 (In the NorPac)
Home Arena: Helena Ice Arena
Colors: Blue, Black and White
              
Owner(s): Oren Koules
Head Coach: Bob Richards (2016–17)
Franchise history
2004–2006: Queen City Cutthroats
2006–present: Helena Bighorns

The Helena Bighorns are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) based in Helena, Montana USA. The team plays their home games at the 1,600-seat Helena Ice Arena. The team is owned by Oren Koules, president of Evolution Entertainment and former part-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL). The Helena Bighorns were members of the NorPac from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, the American West Division of the NorPac league broke away to form the American West Hockey League. In the March of 2014, the NA3HL accepted the AWHL as a new Frontier Division.[1]

History[]

The original Helena Bighorns were members of the former Tier II America West Hockey League from 2001 to 2003 after replacing the departed Helena Gold Rush that had operated last in the 1999–2000 season (formerly known as the Helena Ice Pirates from 1994 to 1999). In 2003, the AWHL merged with the larger Tier II North American Hockey League and the Bighorns played in the NAHL until 2006.

In 2004, the Tier III Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac) expanded into Helena with the Queen City Cutthroats and were immediately successful, winning the Cascade Cup in their first year. In 2006, the NAHL Bighorns withdrew from the NAHL and the NorPac franchise would take the name of the formerly higher level team beginning with the 2006–07 season.

NorPac years (2004–11)[]

The Helena Bighorns/Queen City Cutthroats won six straight NorPac America West Division Championships between 2005 and 2010.[2] They also won the NorPac Cascade Cup six times, 2005, 2006 and four straight from 2008 to 2011.[3]

American West years (2011–14)[]

The Helena Bighorns have won three straight American West Hockey League Championships in the 2011–12, 2012–13, and 2013–14 AWHL seasons[4] prior to the league merging with the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) in 2014.

Season-by-season records[]

Helena Bighorns (AWHL)[]

Season GP W L T OL SL GF GA Pts PIM Regular Season Finish Playoffs
America West Hockey League
2001-02 56 27 24 - 3 2 218 197 59 1700 7th Lost Quarterfinals
2002-03 56 29 26 - 1 0 247 207 59 1305 4th North

Queen City Cutthroats[]

Season GP W L T OL SL GF GA Pts PIM Regular Season Finish Playoffs
Northern Pacific Hockey League
2004-05 information not available
2005-06 44 33 11 - - - 226 132 66 1278 1st East


Helena Bighorns (NAHL)[]

Season GP W L T OL SL GF GA Pts PIM Regular Season Finish Playoffs
North American Hockey League
2003-04 56 28 22 - 6 - 205 191 62 854 5th West
2004-05 56 33 19 - 4 - 203 168 70 1160 3rd West
2005-06 58 17 35 - 1 5 186 246 40 1383 5th West

Helena Bighorns[]

Season GP W L OL GF GA Pts PIM Regular Season Finish Playoffs
Northern Pacific Hockey League
2006-07 44 31 13 - 231 125 62 1374 2nd Rocky Mountain Lost Final
2007-08 48 41 7 - 297 96 82 1288 1st America West Won Championship
2008-09 48 35 13 - 218 108 70 1017 2nd America West Won Championship
2009-10 48 20 28 - 188 191 40 1052 4th America West Won Championship
2010-11 50 48 2 - 400 80 96 - 1st America West Won Championship
American West Hockey League
2011-12 48 39 6 3 279 85 79 - 2nd overall Won Championship
2012-13 48 44 2 2 334 55 90 - 1st overall Won Championship
2013-14 48 46 1 1 317 80 93 - 1st overall Won Championship
North American 3 Hockey League
2014–15 47 34 11 2 194 98 70 1073 2nd of 7, Frontier Div.
5th of 31, NA3HL
Won Div. Semifinals, 2-1 vs. Gillette Wild
Lost Div. Finals, 0-2 vs. Great Falls Americans
2015–16 47 26 21 0 174 155 52 1136 5th of 7, Frontier Div.
19th of 34, NA3HL
Did not qualify
Season GP W L OL SL GF GA Pts Regular Season Finish Playoffs
2016-17 47 15 31 0 1 130 202 31 6th of 8, Frontier Div. Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1-2 vs. Gillette Wild
2017-18 47 30 13 4 0 205 143 64 3rd of 6, Frontier Div. Won Div. Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Great Falls Americans
Lost Div. Final 0-2 vs Yellowstone Quake
2018-19 47 38 7 2 0 252 115 78 1st of 7, Frontier Won Div. Semifinals, 2-1 vs. Missoula Bruins
Won Div. Finals, 2-1 vs. Great Falls Americans
Finish 0-2-0-0 in Pool A of Nationals-eliminated from further play
2019-20 47 17 26 2 2 145 192 38 6th of 8, Frontier Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-2 vs. Great Falls Americans
2020-21 40 17 20 2 1 126 133 37 5th of 8, Frontier Did not qualify
2021-22 47 42 3 2 0 289 94 86 1st of 8 Frontier Lost Semifinal
2022-23 47 36 8 1 2 187 74 75 1st of 8 Frontier Lost Semifinal

Tier III Junior Hockey National Championship[]

In 2005 and 2006, the Queen City Cutthroats participated in the USA Hockey Tier III Junior B National Tournament. In 2007, NorPac and its teams were promoted to Tier III Junior A status and the Bighorns competed in the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Junior A National Tournaments. In 2011, USA Hockey dropped the A and B designations but sometimes had the leagues split into different divisions during the tournament (American/National for 2012 or Div 1/Div 2 for 2015 with 2013 and 2014 having all leagues compete in one tournament). The Bighorns represented the American West Hockey League in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

In 2011, the Helena Bighorns won the Tier III Junior A Hockey National Championships by defeating the El Paso Rhinos 5-1 in Rochester, Minnesota.[5] The Helena Bighorns won the bronze medal at the 2014 USA Hockey Tier III National championships.

Round robin play in pool with top 4 teams advancing to semi-final.

Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Championship
2006[6] W, Boston Jr. Bruins (EmJHL) 3-1
L, Phoenix Polar Bears (WSHL) 4-8
L, St. Louis Jr. Blues (CSHL) 1-5
1-2-0 3rd of 4
Div. I
Did not advance
2008[7] L, Northern Cyclones (AtJHL) 1-5
W, Minnesota Ice Hawks (MnJHL) 4-2
W, Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks (CSHL) 5-0
2-1-0 2nd of 4
Div. II
Did not advance
2009[8] W, New York Bobcats (AtJHL) 3-1
W, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 4-3
L, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL) 3-6
2-1-0 2nd of 4
Div. I
Did not advance
2010[9] L, Dubuque Thunderbirds (CSHL) 2-4
W, Boulder Bison (WSHL) 5-0
T, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL) 3-3
1-1-1 3rd of 4
Div. I
Did not advance
2011[10] W, Rochester Ice Hawks (MnJHL) 6-1
W, Queen City Steam (NA3HL) 4-0
L, Walpole Express (AtJHL) 3-4
2-1-0 1st of 4
Pool III
W, Walpole Express (AtJHL) 4-3 W, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 5-1
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
2012[11] L, Long Island Royals (MetJHL) 1-3
L, Atlanta Junior Knights (EJHL South) 0-1
W, Chicago Junior Bulldogs (NA3HL) 10-3
1-2-0 3rd of 4
Pool I, National Div.
Did not advance
2013[12] OTW, New Jersey Rockets (MetJHL) 2-1
W, Boch Blazers (ESHL) 11-2
L, Atlanta Junior Knights (EJHL South) 3-5
2-1-0 2nd of 4
American Pool
OTL, North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL) 2-3
2014[13] W, Marquette Royales (MnJHL) 6-2
L, Boston Jr. Bruins (USPHL Premier) 0-6
L, New Hampshire Jr Monarchs (EHL) 3-5
1-2-0 3rd of 4
Red Pool
Did not advance

Alumni[]

The Bighorns have had a number of alumni move on to NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA collegiate programs, higher levels of junior ice hockey, and professional ice hockey.[14]

References[]

  1. http://www.na3hl.com/news/story.cfm?id=11149
  2. Bighorns Capture Sixth Straight Division Championship. Helena Bighorns Hockey Club (2010-03-08). Retrieved on 2010-06-28.
  3. Bighorns Storm Past Seattle for Third Straight Cascade Cup Championship. Helena Bighorns Hockey Club (2010-03-14). Retrieved on 2010-06-28.
  4. "Bighorns complete sweep of Quake for 8th league title", Independent Record, March 30, 2013. Retrieved on April 4, 2013. 
  5. "Helena Bighorns capture hockey national championship", Independent Record, April 5, 2011. Retrieved on April 4, 2013. 
  6. 2006 Tier III Jr. B Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 26, 2015.
  7. 2008 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 26, 2015.
  8. 2009 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 26, 2015.
  9. 2010 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 26, 2015.
  10. 2011 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  11. 2012 Tier III Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 19, 2015.
  12. 2013 Tier III Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  13. 2014 Tier III Nat. Championships. USA Hockey. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  14. Alumni. Helena Bighorns Hockey Club (2009-01-01). Retrieved on 2010-06-28.

External links[]

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Helena Bighorns. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).


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