Tahoe Icemen

The Tahoe Icemen were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League and based in South Lake Tahoe, California. Home games were at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena.[1]

Tahoe Icemen
CitySouth Lake Tahoe, California
LeagueWestern States Hockey League
DivisionNorthwest
Founded2012
Home arenaSouth Lake Tahoe Ice Arena
Owner(s)Tahoe Hockey Partners, LLC
Greg Jamison
Spencer Jamison
Van Oleson
General managerMickey Lang (2016–17)
Head coachMickey Lang (2016–17)
Franchise history
2012–2013Bay Area Seals
2013–2015Lake Tahoe Blue
2015–2018Tahoe Icemen

The team was founded by Chris Collins in 2012 as the Bay Area Seals and played out of the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.[2] After scheduling issues concerning the continued use of the Cow Palace as a home rink, the franchise was moved to South Lake Tahoe to start the 2013–14 season with help from Greg Jamison, former President and CEO of the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks, and Van Oleson, owner of Tahoe Sports Entertainment, which runs South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena.[3]

History

Bay Area Seals (2012–2013)

After a start to the team's first season that saw them earn only 3 wins in their first 18 games, the Seals would finish strong and earn second place in the Pacific Division and their first Thorne Cup playoff appearance.[4] The Seals would make a strong playoff run but would lose the Thorne Cup Championship game to Idaho Jr. Steelheads by a final score of 2-4.

By finishing as runner-up in playoffs, the Seals were invited to be the second of the WSHL's representatives (along with the Jr. Steelheads) at the 2013 United Hockey Union National Championship Tournament. In the three-game round-robin stage of the tournament, the Seals would lose to the Lake George Fighting Spirit of the Northern States Hockey League (NSHL) before beating the Hartland Hounds and Tennyson Chevrolets, both of the Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL), to move on to the tournament's semi-final round. They beat the NSHL's Syracuse Stampede before losing the UHU National Championship game to the Jr. Steelheads by a score of 1-5.[4]

Lake Tahoe (2013–2018)
Team logo when the franchise played as the Lake Tahoe Blue 2013–2015.

The team would relocate to South Lake Tahoe and call themselves the Lake Tahoe Blue for the 2013–14 season after owner Chris Collins sold the team to Tahoe Hockey Partners, LLC.[5] Collins continued on as the team's general manager for the remainder of the season. After a sub-par 2013-14 season, Collins would be replaced with Michael Richardson, who had also been hired as head coach, while Spencer Jamison, son of Greg Jamison, would take over the position of President. The 2014–15 season would also leave the Blue out of playoff position.

On April 20, 2015, it was announced that the team had changed its name to the Tahoe Icemen.[6] On May 4, 2015, the Icemen announced the hiring of Tom Maroste as head coach and general manager for the 2015–16 season.[7] After one season, in which the Icemen won only two games, Maroste was replaced by former professional hockey player Mickey Lang.[8]

Prior to the 2018–19 season, the team announced it would be going dormant with the possibility of return for the 2019–20 season.[9] It was claimed that the South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena was having maintenance issues and that during the dormancy, the ice plant could be repaired.[10]

Season-by-season records
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGARegular season finishPlayoffs
Bay Area Seals
2012–1346261613562011932nd of 5, Pacific
6th of 22, WSHL[11]		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Valencia Flyers
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Fresno Monsters
1–1 in Thorne Cup round robin
(L, 3–6 vs. Rhinos; W, 4–2 vs. Ice Jets)
Won Semifinal game, 7–2 vs. El Paso Rhinos
Lost Thorne Cup Championship game, 2–4 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads[4][12]
Lake Tahoe Blue
2013–1446192421411812275th of 6, Pacific
17th of 24, WSHL[13]		Did not qualify
2014–154673621171302697th of 7, Northwest
25th of 28, WSHL[14]		Did not qualify
Tahoe Icemen
2015–16522500—4834127th of 7, Northwest
29th of 29, WSHL		Did not qualify
2016–175215334—341743075th of 7, Northwest
21st of 27, WSHL		Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Vancouver Rangers
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads
2017–185128203—592412262nd of 6, Northwest
11th of 23, WSHL		Div. Quarterfinals bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Bellingham Blazers
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Idaho IceCats

United Hockey Union National Championship Tournament

AAU Sanctioned Junior A National Championship
In 2013 & 2014, the Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL), Northern States Hockey League (NSHL), and the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) advanced two teams each in the tournament.

YearRound RobinRecord
Ranking		Semifinal GameChampionship Game
2013OTL, Lake George Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 3-4
W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 4-3
W, Tennyson Chevrolet (MWJHL) 6-0		2-0-1
2nd of 6		OTW, Syracuse Stampede (NSHL) 1-0L, Idaho Jr. Steelheads (WSHL) 1-5

References
  1. "Who we are". Lake Tahoe Blue. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. "Bay Area Seals 2012-2013 Season Preview". Junior Hockey News. September 15, 2012.
  3. "Hockey team creating a buzz in South Tahoe". Lake Tahoe News. November 1, 2013.
  4. "Lake Tahoe Blue 2013-2014 Season Preview". WSHL. September 16, 2013.
  5. "Tahoe Hockey Partners, LLC Brings WSHL Junior Hockey Team to South Lake Tahoe". Carson Now. August 21, 2013.
  6. "Tahoe Icemen land in South Lake Tahoe". Tahoe Icemen. April 20, 2015.
  7. "Icemen Hire Tom Maroste as Head Coach/GM". WSHL. May 4, 2015.
  8. "Icemen name Mickey Lang as Head Coach and GM". Tahoe Icemen. June 9, 2016.
  9. "TAHOE ICE MEN APPLIED FOR DORMANCY FOR THE 2018-2019 SEASON". WSHL.org. September 10, 2018.
  10. "The Death Pool – Special Report – WSHL, CPJHL, USPHL and EHLP Have Teams Go Dark". TheJuniorHockeyNews.com. September 12, 2018.
  11. "2012-13 WSHL Standings". WSHL. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  12. "2013 WSHL Playoffs Scoreboard". WSHL. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  13. "2013-14 WSHL Standings". WSHL. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  14. "2014-15 WSHL Standings". WSHL. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
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