The Thunder Bay Bearcats were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
| Thunder Bay Bearcats | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
| League | Superior International Junior Hockey League |
| Operated | 2001-2009 |
| Home arena | Fort William First Nations Arena |
| Colours | Burgundy, Yellow, and White |
| General manager | Ian Swalucynski |
| Head coach | Vern Ray |
| Franchise history | |
| 2001-2002 | First Nations Featherman Hawks |
| 2002-2003 | Nipigon Featherman Hawks |
| 2003-2006 | K&A First Nations Golden Hawks |
| 2006-2009 | Thunder Bay Bearcats |
History
editThe team was founded in 2001 with the Superior International Junior Hockey League as the K&A First Nations Featherman Hawks. After one season they moved to Nipigon and became Nipigon Featherman Hawks. The next season they moved back to Thunder Bay and became the K&A First Nations Golden Hawks.
In 2006, the team was bought and renamed the Thunder Bay Bearcats. The Bearcats moniker was a prominent team name in the region in the 1950s.
In 2008, the Bearcats absorbed the Thunder Bay Bulldogs to resurrect and improve the city's Thunder Bay Kings Midget AAA program.
In May 2009, the Bearcats did not attend the league's AGM and it soon came out that the team was disbanding.
Season-by-Season results
edit
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2001-02 | 48 | 29 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 219 | 157 | 62 | 2nd SIJHL | |
| 2002-03 | 52 | 11 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 173 | 312 | 27 | 5th SIJHL | |
| 2003-04 | 48 | 4 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 129 | 282 | 13 | 5th SIJHL | |
| 2004-05 | 48 | 15 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 142 | 202 | 36 | 4th SIJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2005-06 | 52 | 14 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 202 | 270 | 32 | 4th SIJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2006-07 | 50 | 29 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 250 | 201 | 62 | 3rd SIJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2007-08 | 50 | 33 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 213 | 147 | 67 | 3rd SIJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2008-09 | 50 | 33 | 11 | - | 6 | 221 | 142 | 72 | 2nd SIJHL | Lost final |
Playoffs
edit- 2002 Lost semi-final
- Dryden Ice Dogs defeated Nipigon Featherman Hawks 4-games-to-none
- 2003 DNQ
- 2004 DNQ
- 2005 Lost semi-final
- Fort William North Stars defeated K&A Golden Hawks 4-games-to-none
- 2006 Lost semi-final
- Fort William North Stars defeated K&A Golden Hawks 4-games-to-none
- 2007 Lost semi-final
- Schreiber Diesels defeated Thunder Bay Bearcats 4-games-to-2
- 2008 Lost semi-final
- Thunder Bay Bearcats defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs 3-games-to-none
- Fort William North Stars defeated Thunder Bay Bearcats 4-games-to-1
- 2009 Lost final
- Thunder Bay Bearcats defeated Fort Frances Jr. Sabres 4-games-to-1
- Fort William North Stars defeated Thunder Bay Bearcats 4-games-to-1