Coulee Region Chill (NA3HL)

Coulee Region Chill
Coulee Region Chill
City	La Crosse, Wisconsin
League	NA3HL
Division	Central
Founded	1998
Home arena	Green Island Ice Arena
Colors	Black, ice blue, white ;
Owner(s)	Michelle Bryant
General manager	Don Babineau
Head coach	Don Babineau
Franchise history
1998–2014	Flint Jr. Generals
2014–2018	La Crosse Freeze
2018–2020	Coulee Region Chill
2020–2021	Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers
2021–2022	Oklahoma City Ice Hawks
2022–present	New Mexico Ice Wolves

Last updated April 27, 2024

The Coulee Region Chill was a Tier III junior ice hockey team that played at the Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The team played in the North American 3 Hockey League. The franchise was previously known as the Flint Jr. Generals based in Flint, Michigan, and the La Crosse Freeze. Due to the loss of the Chill's home arena, the team ceased operations and the franchise was sold to the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers organization in 2020.

History

Flint Junior Generals

In 1998, Gale and Kelly Cronk, a father and son, purchased the team placing it in the Flint area. The team played at the Iceland Arena in Clayton Township.^[3]

Despite on-ice success and their age, the Jr. Generals attendance dwindled, causing long-time owners Kelly and Gale Cronk to pursue selling the team. In 2013, the Cronks declined to sell to a buyer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as they wanted the team to stay in Michigan and handed over operations to Fairland Management, managing company of the Michigan Warriors and Perani Arena. That season, the Generals were the NA3HL playoffs runner-up and won the East Division. With no Michigan-based interest, the Cronks sold the franchise to the owners of the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.^[3]

La Crosse Freeze/Coulee Region Chill

With the league's approval of the sale to Michelle Bryant on May 6, 2014, the Flint Junior Generals became the La Crosse Freeze and relocated to the Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin.^[3] In 2018, Bryant sold her Tier II North American Hockey League team, the Coulee Region Chill and it was relocated to become the Chippewa Steel. Bryant then renamed the Freeze to the Coulee Region Chill.^[4] In early April 2020, Bryant announced the team would not play during the 2020–21 season due to the city's decision to no longer operate Green Island Ice Arena.^[5]

On May 19, 2020, the NA3HL announced the purchase and relocation of the Chill to become the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers.^[6]

Season records

Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Regular Season Finish	Playoffs
Flint Jr. Generals
2006–07	45	31	14	0	0	62	180	129	1132	1st of 7, East 3rd of 14, CSHL	Won Hurster Cup Qualifier series, 2–0 vs. Michigan Ice Dogs 1–2–0 in Hurster Cup Round Robin (W, 4–2 vs. Cherokee; L, 0–4 vs. Thunderbirds; L, 2–4 vs. Jr. Blues)
2007–08	48	34	14	0	0	68	209	133	1123	2nd of 13, CSHL	1–2–0 in Hurster Cup Round Robin (W, 3–2 vs. Steam; OTL, 2–3 vs. Mustangs; L, 2–8 vs. Cherokee)
2008–09	45	17	27	1	0	35	177	228	1359	9th of 12, CSHL	Did not qualify
2009–10	48	16	31	1	0	33	188	235	1264	9th of 13, CSHL	Did not qualify
2010–11	45	21	21	1	2	45	175	180	1034	9th of 12, NA3HL	Did not qualify
2011–12	48	35	10	3	0	73	207	127	1526	1st of 4, East 1st of 16, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks 1–2–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin (W, 2–1 vs. Cherokee; L, 3–4 vs. Jr. Blues; L, 2–3 vs. Lumberjacks)
2012–13	48	27	17	2	2	58	168	141	1426	3rd of 6, East 7th of 17, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Three Rivers Vengeance 0–2–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin (L, 0–5 vs. Bulls; L, 2–5 vs. Lumberjacks)
2013–14	48	42	4	2	—	86	216	80	1080	1st of 6, East 2nd of 21, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Metro Jets Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks 2–1–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin (W, 3–1 vs. Jr. Blues; W, 5–2 vs. Jr. Stars; L, 3–7 vs. Bulls) Lost Championship game, 0–3 vs. North Iowa Bulls
La Crosse Freeze
2014–15	47	28	14	5	—	61	160	155	913	3rd of 6, Central 11th of 31, NA3HL	Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Wisconsin Whalers
2015–16	47	32	15	0	—	64	200	125	1161	2nd of 5, Central 13th of 34, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wisconsin Whalers Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls
2016–17	47	23	22	2	—	48	199	169	1079	2nd of 5, Central 27th of 48, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Wisconsin Whalers Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls
2017–18	47	34	12	1	0	69	240	124	847	2nd of 5, Central 10th of 42, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wisconsin Whalers Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. North Iowa Bulls 2–1–0 in Fraser Cup round-robin Pool B (L, 1–4 vs. Jets; OTW, 3–2 vs. Brahmas; OTW, 4–3 vs. Stars) Lost Fraser Cup Semifinal game, 0–5 vs. St. Louis Jr. Blues
2018–19	47	36	9	1	1	74	340	98	745	1st of 7, Central 7th of 36, NA3HL	Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Peoria Mustangs Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. St. Louis Jr. Blues
2019–20	47	29	18	0	0	58	192	159	640	3rd of 6, Central 13th of 34, NA3HL	Playoffs cancelled

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References

↑ Brown, Jeff (May 5, 2014). "JUNIOR POWER PLAY, Chill owners add another franchise; move it to La Crosse". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
↑ "Chill name Babineau as team's new Head Coach". NA3HL. May 23, 2019.
1 2 3 McMann, Aaron (May 9, 2014). "Flint Junior Generals hockey team sold, moving to La Crosse, Wis". The Flint Journal . Retrieved June 3, 2014.
↑ "Coulee Region Chill sold and relocated to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin". North American Hockey League . April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-05-01.
↑ Kosirowski, Ken (April 6, 2020). "Coulee Region Chill won't play in 2020-21 NA3HL season". WKBT . Archived from the original on 2020-04-09.
↑ "NA3HL announces new team in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma". North American 3 Hockey League . May 19, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-05-24.

External links

La Crosse Freeze Official website

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[1] Brown, Jeff (May 5, 2014). "JUNIOR POWER PLAY, Chill owners add another franchise; move it to La Crosse". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved June 3, 2014.

[2] "Chill name Babineau as team's new Head Coach". NA3HL. May 23, 2019.

[fj-3] 1 2 3 McMann, Aaron (May 9, 2014). "Flint Junior Generals hockey team sold, moving to La Crosse, Wis". The Flint Journal . Retrieved June 3, 2014.

[4] "Coulee Region Chill sold and relocated to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin". North American Hockey League . April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-05-01.

[5] Kosirowski, Ken (April 6, 2020). "Coulee Region Chill won't play in 2020-21 NA3HL season". WKBT . Archived from the original on 2020-04-09.

[6] "NA3HL announces new team in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma". North American 3 Hockey League . May 19, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-05-24.

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