:Thunder Bay Thunder Cats
{{Pro hockey team
| text_color = black
| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#633e2c 5px solid; border-bottom:#143364 5px solid;
| team = Thunder Bay Thunder Cats
| logo = Thunder Bay Thunder Cats Primary 1994.png
| logosize = 250px
| city = Thunder Bay, Ontario
| league = CoHL/UHL
| conference =
| division =
| founded = 1991
| arena = Fort William Gardens
| colors = Brown, navy, white
{{color box|#633e2c}} {{color box|#143364}} {{color box|white}}
| owner =
| GM =
| coach =
| captain =
| media =
| affiliates =
|dates1 = 1991–1993
|name1 = Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks
|dates2 = {{nowrap|1993–1996}}
|name2 = Thunder Bay Senators
|dates3 = 1996–1999
|name3 = Thunder Bay Thunder Cats
|dates4 = 1999–2007
|name4 = Rockford IceHogs
| reg_season_titles = 2 (1993–94, 1994–95)
| division_titles =
| conf_titles =
| championships = 3 (1992, 1994, 1995)
}}
The Thunder Bay Thunder Cats were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and a member of the United Hockey League. The team went through a number of different names prior to being the Thunder Cats, including the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks and the Thunder Bay Senators.
History
After the success of the five-time Allan Cup champion Thunder Bay Twins, the Colonial Hockey League (CoHL) took interest in expanding to the Northwestern Ontario city. In 1991, the CoHL introduced the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks, spelling the end of the 21-year Twins franchise that stepped aside for the new minor professional team. In 1993, the team changed its name to the Thunder Bay Senators to reflect the teams affiliation with the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators. After three seasons as the Senators, the team became the Thunder Bay Thunder Cats in 1996. The CoHL changed its name to the United Hockey League (UHL) in 1997.
After eight seasons in Thunder Bay, the Thunder Cats were bought, moved to Rockford, Illinois, and renamed the Rockford IceHogs in 1999.
Season-by-season results
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Final standing | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991–92 | 60 | 26 | 28 | 6 | — | 309 | 289 | 62 | 3rd CoHL | Won Championship |
1992–93 | 60 | 32 | 24 | 4 | — | 288 | 271 | 68 | 3rd CoHL | Lost semi-final |
1993–94 | 64 | 45 | 15 | 4 | — | 331 | 236 | 94 | 1st CoHL | Won Championship |
1994–95 | 74 | 48 | 22 | 4 | — | 341 | 279 | 100 | 1st CoHL | Won Championship |
1995–96 | 74 | 36 | 26 | 12 | — | 302 | 289 | 84 | 4th CoHL | Lost Championship |
1996–97 | 74 | 43 | 23 | 8 | — | 333 | 266 | 94 | 4th CoHL | Lost semi-final |
1997–98 | 74 | 42 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 337 | 304 | 90 | 4th UHL | Lost quarter-final |
1998–99 | 74 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 325 | 247 | 101 | 3rd UHL | Lost semi-final |
External links
- [https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/thunder-bay-thunder-cats-8434.html Thunder Cats] @ [https://hockeydb.com hockeydb.com]
{{IHL}}
Category:Defunct United Hockey League teams
Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Ontario
Category:1996 establishments in Ontario
Category:1999 disestablishments in Ontario
Category:Ottawa Senators minor league affiliates
Category:Winnipeg Jets minor league affiliates
Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1996
Category:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1999
{{Ontario-icehockey-team-stub}}