St. Paul Vulcans

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St. Paul Vulcans
St paul vulcans 1994.gif
City St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
League United States Hockey League
Midwest Junior Hockey League
Can-Am Junior Hockey League
Thunder Bay-Minnesota Junior A Hockey League
Operated1971 (1971)–2000
ColorsRed, yellow, black, white
Franchise history
1971–1972Minnesota Jr. Stars
1972–1973St. Paul Jr. Stars
1973–1995St. Paul Vulcans
1995–2000Twin Cities Vulcans
2000–present Tri-City Storm
Championships
Regular season titles1 Anderson Cups (1983–84)
Playoff championships1 Clark Cups (1984)

The St. Paul Vulcans are a defunct Junior A ice hockey franchise that was based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The franchise was a charter member of the United States Hockey League (USHL) that started play with the 1979-80 season. The franchise was renamed the Twin Cities Vulcans for the start of the 1995 season. In 2000, the team was renamed the Tri-City Storm and moved to Kearney, Nebraska.

Contents

History

The Vulcans franchise began as the Minnesota Jr. Stars of the Thunder Bay-Minnesota Junior A Hockey League in 1971. A year later, the league changed its name to the Can-Am Junior Hockey League. The team also changed their name to the St. Paul Jr. Stars. Their rival, the Thunder Bay Vulcans, sponsored by an organization in St. Paul, dropped their sponsorship of the franchise when they announced they would be playing exclusively in Canada the next season. At the start of the 1973 playoffs, the Vulcan organization began funding the Jr. Stars and their name was changed to the St. Paul Vulcans. Despite the name change, the Vulcans were league champions in 1973 and for their only time in team history, entered into the Canadian Centennial Cup playdowns. In the Eastern Centennial Cup Quarter-final, the Vulcans squared off against the Central Junior A Hockey League's Pembroke Lumber Kings. The Lumber Kings downed the Vulcans 4-games-to-1 to end their playoff run.

Due to disagreements between the American and Canadian teams in the CAJHL, the league was divided into the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League (again) and the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Vulcans would be one of the stronger members of the MWJHL. In 1977, the MWJHL would merge into the United States Hockey League - introducing junior hockey to what would become America's top tier of junior hockey.

The Bloomington Ice Gardens was one of five home rinks used by the Vulcans in the Twin Cities from 1995 to 2000. Bloomington ice garden.jpg
The Bloomington Ice Gardens was one of five home rinks used by the Vulcans in the Twin Cities from 1995 to 2000.

In 1995, the St. Paul Vulcans were renamed the Twin Cities Vulcans in hopes of broadening the fan base to cover the entire Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. [1] Jim Johannson was named head coach and general manager of the Vulcans in June 1995. [2] In July 1997, the Vulcans reduced their ticket prices to be the lowest in the USHL at US$ 5 per adult. Johannson stated that the team wanted to raise prices, but it would hurt the program which drew an average of 400 spectators per game, due to competition from other sporting events in the Twin Cities. [3] In May 1998, Jim Hillman was promoted from assistant coach to replace Johannson who remained as the general manager. [4]

In September 1999, the USHL approved the sale of the franchise to be moved to Kearney, Nebraska to become the Tri-City Storm after the season. Johannson stated that the Vulcans were victims of declining attendance and a southward geographical shift of the USHL to Iowa and Nebraska. [5] [6] During the final five years of existence of the Vulcans, they played their home games in Mariucci Arena at the University of Minnesota, Wakota Arena in South St. Paul, Augsburg University Arena in Minneapolis, Columbia Arena in Fridley, and then at the Bloomington Ice Gardens in the final season. [1]

The Vulcans placed sixth during the 1999–2000 season. In the playoffs, they defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede by three consecutive one-goal victories in the first round, then defeated the Lincoln Stars by three games to two in the second round, then lost to Green Bay Gamblers by four games to one in the Clark Cup finals. [7] The Vulcans qualified for the USA Hockey Junior A National Championship since Green Bay was the host team. The Vulcans defeated the Danville Wings by a 3–0 score in the semifinals, then defeated the Green Bay Gamblers by a 4–1 score in the finals to win the national championship. [8]

Season-by-season results

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResults
1971-722412111-----253rd TBMJHL
1972-73322732-17079561st CAJHL
1973-746038211-343263773rd MWJHL
1974-756033252-305298683rd MWJHL
1975-765025241-272230513rd MWJHL
1976-774829181-239203591st MWJHL
1977-785116350-209287323rd USHL-MW
1978-795012380-170255244th USHL-MW
1979-804810380-205303204th USHL-N
1980-814828191-291223573rd USHL-N
1981-824826211-263251534th USHL
1982-834818282-242294386th USHL
1983-844837803246160771st USHL
1984-8548311601263198634th USHL
1985-8648331302258178692nd USHL
1986-8748212241236228478th USHL
1987-8848291540277181663rd USHL
1988-8948381000306171762nd USHL
1989-9048271911229197566th USHL
1990-9148281631228182604th USHL
1991-9248311223255179673rd USHL
1992-9348261921212201555th USHL
1993-9452202804175183447th USHL
1994-9548311421211166653rd USHL
1995-9646182134169184438th USHL
1996-9754252630190211534th USHL-N
1997-9856193250162242436th USHL-N
1998-9956223400183246444th USHL-C
1999-0058311908203174705th USHL-W

Playoffs

Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort Hurricanes 2-games-to-none
Thunder Bay Vulcans defeated Minnesota Jr. Stars 4-games-to-none
St. Paul Jr. Stars defeated Minneapolis Bruins by default (Bruins forfeit late in Game 1)
St. Paul Jr. Stars defeated Thunder Bay Centennials 4-games-to-noneCAJHL CHAMPIONS, JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) defeated St. Paul Vulcans 4-games-to-1

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "St. Paul-Twin Cities Vulcans (1973–1995)". Vintage Minnesota Hockey. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  2. "Johannson new coach of Vulcans". Star Tribune . Minneapolis, Minnesota. June 13, 1995. p. 22. Lock-green.svg
  3. Derowitsch, Mark (July 12, 1997). "High ticket prices buy Stars' fans more than hockey". Lincoln Journal Star . Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 17. Lock-green.svg ; Derowitsch, Mark (July 12, 1997). "Omaha hasn't raised prices (Continued from Page 1C)". Lincoln Journal Star . Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 21. Lock-green.svg
  4. Derowitsch, Mark (May 24, 1998). "USHL hoping to allow more leniency about fights". Lincoln Journal Star . Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 18. Lock-green.svg
  5. Brackin, Dennis (September 3, 1999). "Vulcans open camp for last season in Minnesota". Star Tribune . Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 40. Lock-green.svg ; "Hockey". The Courier . Waterloo, Iowa. September 6, 1999. p. 17. Lock-green.svg
  6. Reusse, Patrick (March 26, 2000). "So long, Vulcans". Star Tribune . Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 40. Lock-green.svg
  7. "1999–2000 USHL Playoff Results". Hockey Database. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  8. Milewski, Todd D. (May 7, 2000). "Gamblers fade in final". Green Bay Press-Gazette . Green Bay, Wisconsin. p. 25. Lock-green.svg