Fresno Falcons
Encyclopedia
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey
team. They were once members of the ECHL
(formerly East Coast Hockey League). They were located in Fresno, California
.
. The Falcons in the 1950s and early 1960s played in the Cal-Neva Hockey League. During the 1968 and 1969 season the team was officially known as the Fresno Aces, in 1970 the name was changed back to the Fresno Falcons.
The Pacific Southwest Hockey League
was founded in 1970 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 WCHL merged with the ECHL following the 2002-03 season, and the Falcons played in the ECHL until suspending operations in 2008.
, and their green and gold colors and hard-knocks play made them a staple of sports and entertainment in Fresno. Fresno and the Falcons were the centerpieces of the league, as the Falcons dominated, winning sixteen league championships in 24 seasons, which sometimes saw games not involving the Falcons played in Fresno due to Selland Arena
being the league's best arena.
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
in 1995. 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.
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 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, in the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper article. http://www.timescolonist.com/Sports/Falcons+fold+ECHL+loses+another+team/1106508/story.html
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 2009/2010, The Monsters were announced in Spring 2009, filling a void for hockey in Fresno after the Falcons folded. The team began Play in mid-September 2009, playing in the Tier III Jr. A Western States Hockey League. The franchise now plays in the Tier II Jr. North American Hockey League, while continuing to field a Tier III Team.
1973-74 PSHL Champions
1974-75 PSHL Champions
1975-76 PSHL Champions
1983-84 PSHL Champions
2001-02 Taylor Cup Champions (WCHL)
2005-06 Pacific Division Champions (ECHL)
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team. They were once members of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
(formerly East Coast Hockey League). They were located in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.
Early history
The Fresno Hockey Club, originally known as the Flyers, was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the Pacific Coast Hockey LeaguePacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
. The Falcons in the 1950s and early 1960s played in the Cal-Neva Hockey League. During the 1968 and 1969 season the team was officially known as the Fresno Aces, in 1970 the name was changed back to the Fresno Falcons.
The Pacific Southwest Hockey League
Pacific Southwest Hockey League
The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League....
was founded in 1970 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
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
.
The WCHL merged with the ECHL following the 2002-03 season, and the Falcons played in the ECHL until suspending operations in 2008.
Arenas
For most of its history, the team played at Fresno's Selland ArenaSelland Arena
The Selland Arena is a multi-purpose arena built in 1966 that makes up part of a five-venue complex of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in Fresno, California. It is named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland and has had over ten million people walk through its doors in its over...
, and their green and gold colors and hard-knocks play made them a staple of sports and entertainment in Fresno. Fresno and the Falcons were the centerpieces of the league, as the Falcons dominated, winning sixteen league championships in 24 seasons, which sometimes saw games not involving the Falcons played in Fresno due to Selland Arena
Selland Arena
The Selland Arena is a multi-purpose arena built in 1966 that makes up part of a five-venue complex of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in Fresno, California. It is named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland and has had over ten million people walk through its doors in its over...
being the league's best arena.
The Falcons moved to the Save Mart Center
Save Mart Center
Save Mart Center at Fresno State is a multi-purpose arena, on the campus of the California State University, Fresno, located in Fresno, California...
on the campus of California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
to coincide with their transfer to the ECHL in 2003. They played there until returning to Selland Arena in 2008
Joining the WCHL/merging with the ECHL
The Falcons were a charter member of the professional West Coast Hockey LeagueWest Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
in 1995. 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
Idaho Steelheads
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003....
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.
Financial troubles and franchise's end
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.President Dave Dakers of the Victoria Salmon Kings
Victoria Salmon Kings
The Victoria Salmon Kings were a professional ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They were members of the Mountain Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL, debuting in the 2004–05 ECHL season and folding after the 2010–11 ECHL season as the Chilliwack Bruins WHL franchise...
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 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, in the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper article. http://www.timescolonist.com/Sports/Falcons+fold+ECHL+loses+another+team/1106508/story.html
The Falcons were the second team that season to fold, following the Augusta Lynx
Augusta Lynx
The Augusta Lynx were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. The Lynx played their home games at the James Brown Arena...
. 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
Fresno Monsters
The Fresno Monsters are a Junior A Tier II ice hockey team based out of Fresno, California. The team is currently a member of the North American Hockey League and play in the West Division. as well as continuing to field a WSHL team...
began play in the 2009/2010, The Monsters were announced in Spring 2009, filling a void for hockey in Fresno after the Falcons folded. The team began Play in mid-September 2009, playing in the Tier III Jr. A Western States Hockey League. The franchise now plays in the Tier II Jr. North American Hockey League, while continuing to field a Tier III Team.
Season-by-season record
| Season | League | Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | PTS | PCT | GF | GA | PIM | Coach(es) | Result |
| 1975-76 | PSHL Pacific Southwest Hockey League The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League.... |
PSHL | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 31 | 0.861 | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lorne Nadeau | PSHL Champions |
| 1980-81 | PSHL Pacific Southwest Hockey League The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League.... |
PSHL | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | - | - | 23 | 0.639 | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lorne Nadeau | Lost in PSHL Finals to LA Bruins |
| 1984-85 | PSHL Pacific Southwest Hockey League The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League.... |
PSHL | 18 | 10 | 7 | 1 | - | - | 21 | 0.583 | n/a | n/a | n/a | Darryl Lauer | Lost in PSHL Finals to LA Bruins |
| 1995-96 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHL | 58 | 30 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 67 | 0.578 | 270 | 232 | 1454 | John Olver John Olver (coach) John Olver is a Canadian ice hockey player and coach known for his league championship teams in the West Coast Hockey League and ECHL.... |
Lost in Finals |
| 1996-97 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHL | 64 | 38 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 82 | 0.641 | 313 | 254 | 1851 | Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky is an Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Gadowsky is currently the head coach of the Penn State University men's ice hockey team. Gadowsky played collegiate hockey at Colorado College and played professional hockey for the San Diego Gulls, Richmond... |
Lost in Round 1 |
| 1997-98 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHLS | 64 | 33 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 0.531 | 273 | 262 | 2018 | Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky is an Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Gadowsky is currently the head coach of the Penn State University men's ice hockey team. Gadowsky played collegiate hockey at Colorado College and played professional hockey for the San Diego Gulls, Richmond... |
Lost in Round 1 |
| 1998-99 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHLS | 70 | 35 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 74 | 0.529 | 257 | 296 | 2172 | Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky Guy Gadowsky is an Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Gadowsky is currently the head coach of the Penn State University men's ice hockey team. Gadowsky played collegiate hockey at Colorado College and played professional hockey for the San Diego Gulls, Richmond... |
Lost in Round 2 |
| 1999-00 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHLS | 72 | 27 | 38 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 61 | 0.424 | 262 | 307 | 2181 | Blaine Moore | Did Not Qualify |
| 2000-01 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHLS | 72 | 44 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 94 | 0.653 | 259 | 221 | 1746 | Blaine Moore | Lost in Round 1 |
| 2001-02 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHLS | 72 | 33 | 31 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 74 | 0.514 | 242 | 267 | 2108 | Blaine Moore | WCHL Taylor Cup Champions |
| 2002-03 | WCHL West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington... |
WCHL | 72 | 35 | 28 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 79 | 0.549 | 243 | 235 | 2170 | Blaine Moore | Lost in Finals |
| 2003-04 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
Pacific | 72 | 23 | 43 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0.361 | 187 | 275 | 1815 | Blaine Moore, Greg Spenrath | Did Not Qualify |
| 2004-05 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
West | 72 | 39 | 25 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 0.597 | 204 | 217 | 1800 | Greg Spenrath | Did Not Qualify |
| 2005-06 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
Pacific | 72 | 43 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0.694 | 230 | 205 | 1572 | Matt Thomas | Lost in National Conference Finals |
| 2006-07 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
Pacific | 72 | 34 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 0.535 | 195 | 197 | 1555 | Matt Thomas | Lost in Round 1 |
| 2007-08 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
Pacific | 72 | 42 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 0.639 | 242 | 216 | 1565 | Matt Thomas | Lost in Round 1 |
| 2008-09 | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
Pacific | 30 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 0.633 | n/a | n/a | n/a | Matt Thomas | Team suspends operations |
| Totals | 988 | 509 | 378 | 52 | 49 | 0 | 1119 | 0.566 | 3177 | 3184 | 24007 |
Championships
1972-73 PSHL Champions1973-74 PSHL Champions
1974-75 PSHL Champions
1975-76 PSHL Champions
1983-84 PSHL Champions
2001-02 Taylor Cup Champions (WCHL)
2005-06 Pacific Division Champions (ECHL)