Granite City Lumberjacks

Last updated
Granite City Lumberjacks
Granite City Lumberjacks logo.png
City Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
League NA3HL
DivisionWest
Founded2007
Home arenaArmadillo Deck Sports Arena
ColorsRed, blue, white
   
General managerBrad Willner
Head coachBrad Willner
Franchise history
2007–presentGranite City Lumberjacks

The Granite City Lumberjacks are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team playing in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) and plays their home games at the Armadillo Deck Sports Arena, located in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. The Lumberjacks play 48 regular season games, in addition to showcase and post-season tournament games.

Contents

History

The team was founded in 2007 as a member of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). [1]

The Granite City Lumberjacks were the 2008–09 MnJHL regular season champions and qualified for the USA Hockey Tier III Jr. A National Championship Tournament, joining the 2009 playoff champions, the Minnesota Ice Hawks. [2] The team won the MnJHL championship in the 2010–11 season with a 2-1 overtime win over the Rochester Ice Hawks. [3]

In 2011, the Lumberjacks and MnJHL rival, the Minnesota Flying Aces, announced a move from the MnJHL to the NA3HL as part of the league's expansion to 16 teams for the 2011–12 season. [4] The two teams joined two expansion teams, the Twin City Steel and North Iowa Bulls, to form the NA3HL West Division.

In the 2011–12 Season, the Lumberjacks claimed the West Division Title, West Division Playoff Title and the 2012 NA3HL Silver Cup Championship. [5] However, they did not participate in the 2012 USA Hockey Tier III National Tournament.

The Lumberjacks would also win the 2015 Silver Cup Championship over the North Iowa Bulls. The Lumberjacks only qualified for the Silver Cup Tournament as wildcard after losing in the Divisional Finals to the Bulls. [6] In 2017, the Lumberjacks won their third Silver Cup Championship with a 2–1 game against the Metro Jets.

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLPtsGFGARegular Season FinishPlayoffs
Minnesota Junior Hockey League
2007–08No statistics available
2008–09484152842381091st, MnJHL
2009–105036122742581212nd, MnJHLLost in Semifinals
2010–11453681732151001st, MnJHLBush Cup Champions
North American 3 Hockey League
2011–124833114701991061st of 4, West Div.
2nd of 16, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Minnesota Flying Aces
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. North Iowa Bulls
Advance to Silver Cup
Won Silver Cup Championship
2012–13483684762121222nd of 6, West Div.
4th of 17, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 3–1 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
Won Div. finals, ?-? vs. unlisted
Advance to Silver Cup
2013–144836120722491242nd of 6, West Div.
3rd of 21, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls
2014–15473395711971132nd of 6, West Div.
4th of 31, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls
Advance to Silver Cup (as wild card)
Won Silver Cup Championship
2015–164733113691961121st of 5, West Div.
9th of 34, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs.Twin City Steel
2016–17473287711881111st of 5, West Div.
11th of 48, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Breezy Point North Stars
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. New Ulm Steel
Advance to Silver Cup
Won Silver Cup Championship
2017–184733140662251071st of 5, West Div.
12th of 42, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Willmar WarHawks
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. New Ulm Steel
Advance to Fraser Cup
2018–1947378276239981st of 7, West Div.
6th of 36, NA3HL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
2019–204733131672291072nd of 6, West Div.
9th of 34, NA3HL		Playoffs cancelled
2020–214027121551561052nd of 5, West Div.
10th of 31, NA3HL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Willmar WarHawks
2021–2247443088284671st of 6, West Div.
2nd of 34, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Mason City Toros
Advance to Fraser Cup
2022–23473962802331111st of 6, West Div.
2nd of 34, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 Willmar WarHawks
Lost Div. Finals, 1-2 Alexandria Blizzard
Advance to Fraser Cup (Wild Card Qualifier)
Fraser Cup Champions
2023–24473692742441041st of 6, West Div.
5th of 34, NA3HL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2-1 Mason City Toros
Won Div. Finals 2-0 Rochester Grizzlies
Advance to Fraser Cup

USA Hockey Tier III Junior Hockey National Championship

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemifinal GameChampionship Game
2009 [7] T, 2–2 vs. Dubuque Thunderbirds (CSHL)
W, 3–2 vs. Seattle Totems (NorPac)
OTW, 6–5 vs. Northern Cyclones (AtJHL)		2–0–12nd of 4
Div. II		L, 2–4 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL)—
2011 [8] T, 4–4 vs. El Paso Rhinos (WSHL)
W, 8–2 vs. Chicago Hitmen (NA3HL)
L, 2–3 vs. Northern Cyclones (AtJHL)		1–1–12nd of 4
Pool II		Did not advance
2015 [9] W, 3–1 vs. Dells Ducks (MnJHL)
L, 3–6 vs. Northern Cyclones (EHL)
W, 4–3 vs. North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL)		2–1–03rd of 4
Div. 1		Not playedDid not advance

NA3HL FRASER CUP Championship

YearRound RobinRecordPlaceSemifinalChampionship
2012L, Jr Blues 1-2
W, Cherokee) 5-2
W, Chill) 3-2		2-1-0 ?? of 4
Pool		No semisW, St. Louis Jr. Blues 2-1
Silver Cup Champions
2013W, Chill 5-2
OTL, Bulls 2-3		1-1-0 ??? of 3
Pool		Did not advance
2015L, Bulls 4-7
W, Jr Predators 2-0
W, Jets 6-1		2-1-0 ?? of 4
Pool		No semisW, North Iowa Bulls 2-1
Silver Cup Champions
2017L, Jets 0-3
W, Jr Blues 4-3
W, Capitals 6-2		2-1-02nd of 4
Pool B		W, Senators 3-2W, Metro Jets 2-1
Silver Cup Champions
2018W, Senators 3-2
OTW, Jr Blues 3-2
OTL, Quake 1-2		2-0-1 ?? of 4
Pool A		L, Metro Jets 2-3Did not advance
2022L, Bighorns 0-2
W, El Paso Rhinos) 5-0		1-1-02nd of 3
Pool B		Won Semi Final, 4-3
Northeast Generals 		L, Rochester Grizzlies 0-4
2023L, Blizzard 1-3
W, Jr. Brahmas 6-1		1-1-02nd of 3
Pool W		Won Semi Final, 4-2
Helena Bighorns 		W, Blizzard 6-5
Fraser Cup Champions
2024W, West Bend Powwer 4-2
W, Gillette Wild 6-1		2-0-01st of 3
Pool A		Lost, Semi Final, 1-2
Northeast Generals 		Did not advance

Alumni

The Lumberjacks have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, and ACHA college programs. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Vengeance</span> Ice hockey team in Harmar Township, Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh Vengeance are a non-sanctioned junior ice hockey team and are members of the Great Lakes Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League's Premier Division. The team plays at the Alpha Ice Complex in Harmar Township, Pennsylvania, a township outside of Pittsburgh. In addition to the junior team, the organization also fields teams at the former Tier III Junior B/C levels and various youth levels of play. From 1997 until 2012, the team was known as the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Wilderness</span> Ice hockey team in Minnesota, United States

The Minnesota Wilderness are a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Cloquet, Minnesota, and play in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The organization formerly fielded teams in the Canada-based Junior A Superior International Junior Hockey League for three seasons and in the American-based Tier III Minnesota Junior Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Junior Hockey League</span>

The Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL) was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III junior ice hockey league operated out of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso Rhinos</span> Ice hockey team in El Paso, Texas

The El Paso Rhinos are a junior ice hockey organization based in El Paso, Texas. Their home games are played at the County Events Center located within the El Paso County Coliseum complex. The Rhinos are members of the Tier II junior North American Hockey League (NAHL) after adding the team as an expansion franchise in 2021. The organization also has a Tier III team that was originally a member of the Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Western States Hockey League from 2006 to 2020 before joining the North American 3 Hockey League for the 2020–21 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American 3 Hockey League</span> Tier III junior ice hockey league

The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is an American Tier III junior ice hockey league that consists of teams from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Sanctioned by USA Hockey, for most of the league's existence, the winner of the NA3HL playoffs would advance to play for the Tier III National Championship, however, this has not been held since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Louis Jr. Blues</span> Ice hockey team in St. Louis, Missouri

The St. Louis Jr. Blues are a Tier III ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team plays their home games at the Affton Ice Rink in Affton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wooster Oilers</span> Ice hockey team in Wooster, Ohio

The Wooster Oilers were a junior ice hockey team and member of the United States Premier Hockey League 'Premier' level. The Oilers play home games at the Alice Noble Ice Arena in Wooster, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Owls</span> Junior ice hockey team

The Minnesota Owls were a Tier III Junior ice hockey team and member of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). The team played their games at the David C. Johnson Arena located in Isanti, Minnesota. Prior the 2015–16 season, the Owls had joined the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) - Midwest Division along with majority of the other former MnJHL teams. However, on September 1, 2015, they announced on their website that the team had gone dormant for the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin Cities Northern Lights</span> Ice hockey team in Bloomington, Minnesota

Northern Lights Hockey is a nonprofit organization that fielded a Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team located in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA, a southwest suburb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Northern Lights Hockey played in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL), a college preparatory league. Although the nonprofit does not have a current hockey team, the organization still exists and provides other sports services while it keeps the option open of fielding hockey teams at various youth / junior levels.

The Metropolitan Junior Hockey League was an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league with teams throughout the eastern United States. The MJHL was part of the Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League organization. Founded in 1966 by New York Rangers GM, Emile Francis, the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League played its 50th season in 2015–16. Prior to its 51st season, the league's operations were taken over by the North American Hockey League and it was renamed to North American 3 Atlantic Hockey League (NA3AHL) for the 2016–17 season. In 2017, the remaining teams joined the Eastern Hockey League.

The Dubuque Thunderbirds were a Tier III junior ice hockey team based in Dubuque, Iowa that played in the multipurpose Five Flags Event Center from 2001 through 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochester Grizzlies</span> Ice hockey team in Rochester, Minnesota

The Rochester Grizzlies are a Tier III junior ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team plays their home games at the 2,600-seat Rochester Recreation Center, located in Rochester, Minnesota. The team typically plays more than 45 regular season games, in addition to showcase and postseason games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willmar WarHawks</span> Ice hockey team in Willmar, Minnesota

The Willmar WarHawks are a Tier III junior ice hockey team playing in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team plays their home games at the Willmar Civic Center located in Willmar, Minnesota.

The River Falls Renegades was a Tier III junior ice hockey team that played first in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL) and then the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The team was not listed among the USPHL membership in 2017–18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helena Bighorns</span> Ice hockey team in Helena, Montana

The Helena Bighorns are a Junior A ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) based in Helena, Montana United States. The team plays their home games at the 1,600-seat Helena Ice Arena.

The Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks were a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team played their home games at the Ice Land USA in Strongsville, Ohio. The players, ages 16–20, carry amateur status under Junior A guidelines and hope to earn a spot on higher levels of junior ice hockey in the United States and Canada, Canadian Major Junior, Collegiate, and eventually professional teams.

The Wisconsin Woodsmen are a Tier III junior ice hockey team based in Tomah, Wisconsin. They are members of the Central Division of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Premier Hockey League</span> American ice hockey league

The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is an American ice hockey league. Founded in 2012, the USPHL has grown to over 60 organizations from across the United States fielding teams in the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), Premier, Elite, EHF, 18U, 16U, 15U, and High Performance youth divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid-Cities Junior Stars</span> Ice hockey team in Euless, Texas

The Mid-Cities Jr. Stars are a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior ice hockey team playing in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team plays their home games at Children’s Health StarCenter in Euless, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Iowa Bulls</span> Ice hockey team in Mason City, Iowa

The North Iowa Bulls are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). They play their home games at the Mason City Multipurpose Arena in Mason City, Iowa. The organization also operates a Tier III junior team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) that was known as the North Iowa Bulls from 2011 to 2021 before relocating the Tier II Amarillo Bulls' franchise to Mason City and rebranding the Tier III team as the Mason City Toros. The Bulls are coached by Todd Sanden, who has been with the North Iowa team since its inception in 2011.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lumberjackshockey.com/page/show/179860-past-teams%5B%5D
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". www.mnjhl.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ Clark, Nick (March 21, 2011). "Weekly Release: Chayka's OT winner gives Lumberjacks first Bush Cup". MnJHL. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Staff (July 11, 2011). "NA3HL prepares for its first full season". Hockey Weekly. Retrieved August 7, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Granite City Lumberjacks crowned NA3HL Champions".
  6. ↑ "Granite City wins 2015 NA3HL Silver Cup".
  7. ↑ "2009 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships". USA Hockey. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ "2011 Tier III Jr. A Nat. Championships". USA Hockey. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ "2015 Tier III Junior Nat. Championships". USA Hockey. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Player Advancement | Home | Granite City Lumberjacks Hockey". Archived from the original on 2011-03-01. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.