Thief River Falls Norskies

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
CityThief River Falls, Minnesota
LeagueIndependent
Founded2016
Home arenaRalph Engelstad Arena
Owner(s)Stoked LLC
General managerOpen
Head coachOpen
Franchise history
2016–2020Thief River Falls

History

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The 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

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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

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  1. ^ "Thief River Norskies to join SIJHL meetings in Dryden". KenoraOnline.com. June 11, 2016.
  2. ^ "SIJHL's newest franchise to be dubbed the Thief River Falls Norskies". SIJHL.com. June 10, 2016.
  3. ^ "Thief River Fall's new junior hockey team starts to build roster". Grand Forks Herald. May 31, 2016.
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