Pacific Southwest Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey
league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska
starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League
.
largely due to convenience and the availability of a then-relatively new showcase arena, Selland Arena
in Fresno's Convention Center. At times throughout the league's history, some games even if not involving the Falcons were held at Selland Arena
.
A PSHL season ranged from 15 to 30 games each between anywhere from 4 to 8 teams. Franchises shifted frequently, often with new teams appearing the next season from the same cities. The mainstays of the league were the Fresno Falcons
, the Los Angeles Bruins and later in the league's history, the Burbank or Los Angeles Jets and the West Covina or California Blackhawks (later just Hawks).
Fighting was also a signature of the league. Games of the day celebrated the rowdy spirit of the Broad Street Bullies era of hockey. Most PSHL cities were not traditional hockey markets, and the relaxed atmosphere which allowed a little more leeway to fight attracted an audience that might not otherwise have attended PSHL games.
PSHL games were often paired with side attractions when it came to teams' marketing, including broomball
and Roller Derby
.
Many had professional hockey experience, with perhaps the most notable being Willie O'Ree
, celebrated as the first black NHL player. O'Ree finished his playing days with the PSHL's San Diego Sharks in 1978-79.
Player/coaches were a common occurrence in the PSHL, and many players also played in other professional, amateur, or even senior leagues at the same time as their PSHL tenure.
The 1980-81 season saw the entire league schedule moved up two weeks, just six games into the season, as the Reno Gamblers franchise folded abruptly amid financial concerns. It was the Gamblers' first season in the league, and the league's remaining schedule was hurriedly filled out by league officials in order to still play 18 games per team. Players from the Gamblers were disbursed amongst the other teams in the league simply by each player being deemed a free agent.
1990 saw several noted Fresno Falcons
players leave the team and join an upstart Cal-Nev Senior Hockey League team known as the Fresno Aces. The Aces played two seasons in Fresno's Icelandia ice rink before folding. Only one of the departed players, Bob Barlow, would return to the Falcons.
A May 1994 game between the Fresno Falcons and Bay Area Leafs would feature a bench clearing brawl resulting in injuries to several players and one linesman in the final minutes of the second period. After nearly an hour of delays, the game continued with only a few players left on the Leafs bench. The Leafs suspended operations the next day.
The Fresno Falcons' longtime ownership group of Byron Wallace and Al Geller sold the team in 1994. A new coach, John Olver
, took over the daily operations, and implemented a number of changes which would lead to the folding of the PSHL into the new, professional, West Coast Hockey League
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
starting in 1970 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
.
The League's focus
The PSHL's signature franchise was the Fresno FalconsFresno Falcons
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
largely due to convenience and the availability of a then-relatively new showcase arena, Selland Arena
Selland Arena
The Selland Arena is a multi-purpose arena built in 1966 that makes up part of a five-venue complex of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in Fresno, California. It is named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland and has had over ten million people walk through its doors in its over...
in Fresno's Convention Center. At times throughout the league's history, some games even if not involving the Falcons were held at Selland Arena
Selland Arena
The Selland Arena is a multi-purpose arena built in 1966 that makes up part of a five-venue complex of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in Fresno, California. It is named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland and has had over ten million people walk through its doors in its over...
.
A PSHL season ranged from 15 to 30 games each between anywhere from 4 to 8 teams. Franchises shifted frequently, often with new teams appearing the next season from the same cities. The mainstays of the league were the Fresno Falcons
Fresno Falcons
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
, the Los Angeles Bruins and later in the league's history, the Burbank or Los Angeles Jets and the West Covina or California Blackhawks (later just Hawks).
Fighting was also a signature of the league. Games of the day celebrated the rowdy spirit of the Broad Street Bullies era of hockey. Most PSHL cities were not traditional hockey markets, and the relaxed atmosphere which allowed a little more leeway to fight attracted an audience that might not otherwise have attended PSHL games.
PSHL games were often paired with side attractions when it came to teams' marketing, including broomball
Broomball
Broomball is a recreational ice game originating in Canada and played around the world. It is played in a hockey rink, either indoors or outdoors, depending on climate and location. Broomball is popular in the Canadian province of Manitoba, where Glenella is the Broomball Capital of the World...
and Roller Derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
.
Players
The PSHL's players often were unpaid, not uncommon in semi-professional hockey.Many had professional hockey experience, with perhaps the most notable being Willie O'Ree
Willie O'Ree
Willie Eldon O'Ree, OC, ONB is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, known best for being the first black player in the National Hockey League. O'Ree played as a winger for the Boston Bruins...
, celebrated as the first black NHL player. O'Ree finished his playing days with the PSHL's San Diego Sharks in 1978-79.
Player/coaches were a common occurrence in the PSHL, and many players also played in other professional, amateur, or even senior leagues at the same time as their PSHL tenure.
1980-1994 - Changes and Uncertainty
The PSHL continued into the 1980s and 90s largely unchanged, though events that were unusual began to periodically indicate instability.The 1980-81 season saw the entire league schedule moved up two weeks, just six games into the season, as the Reno Gamblers franchise folded abruptly amid financial concerns. It was the Gamblers' first season in the league, and the league's remaining schedule was hurriedly filled out by league officials in order to still play 18 games per team. Players from the Gamblers were disbursed amongst the other teams in the league simply by each player being deemed a free agent.
1990 saw several noted Fresno Falcons
Fresno Falcons
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
players leave the team and join an upstart Cal-Nev Senior Hockey League team known as the Fresno Aces. The Aces played two seasons in Fresno's Icelandia ice rink before folding. Only one of the departed players, Bob Barlow, would return to the Falcons.
A May 1994 game between the Fresno Falcons and Bay Area Leafs would feature a bench clearing brawl resulting in injuries to several players and one linesman in the final minutes of the second period. After nearly an hour of delays, the game continued with only a few players left on the Leafs bench. The Leafs suspended operations the next day.
The Fresno Falcons' longtime ownership group of Byron Wallace and Al Geller sold the team in 1994. A new coach, John Olver
John Olver
John Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
, took over the daily operations, and implemented a number of changes which would lead to the folding of the PSHL into the new, professional, West Coast Hockey League
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
.
PSHL teams through the years
Some of the teams that participated in the PSHL throughout the years include:- Fresno FalconsFresno FalconsThe Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
- Los Angeles Bruins
- Los Angeles/Burbank/Lake Arrowhead Jets
- San Diego Surf
- West Covina/California Eagles
- Los Angeles/California Blackhawks/Hawks
- Bay Area Leafs
- Reno Renegades
- Reno Gamblers
- Alaska Gold Kings
- California Hawks
- Anchorage Aces
- Bakersfield OilersBakersfield OilersThe Bakersfield Oilers was a semi-pro hockey team in the Pacific Southwest Hockey League that played in Bakersfield, California in 1994-95. The Oilers played out of the 3600 seat Bakersfield Convention Center. The Oilers were the predecessor to the Bakersfield Fog of the West Coast Hockey League...
- Las Vegas Aces
- Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Orange County Outlaws
- Las Vegas Gamblers
- Riverside Broncos
- Bay Harbor Condors
- Golden State Condors
- San Diego Sharks (1975–1978)
- Lake Arrowhead Sharks
- Sacramento Rebels