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St. Paul Vulcans

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St. Paul Vulcans
CitySt. Paul, Minnesota, United States
LeagueUnited 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–presentTri-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.

History

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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.

Interior view of arena showing the ice surface, seating area and a youth hockey game
The Bloomington Ice Gardens was one of five home rinks used by the Vulcans in the Twin Cities from 1995 to 2000.[1]

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

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results
1971-72 24 12 11 1 - -- -- 25 3rd TBMJHL
1972-73 32 27 3 2 - 170 79 56 1st CAJHL
1973-74 60 38 21 1 - 343 263 77 3rd MWJHL
1974-75 60 33 25 2 - 305 298 68 3rd MWJHL
1975-76 50 25 24 1 - 272 230 51 3rd MWJHL
1976-77 48 29 18 1 - 239 203 59 1st MWJHL
1977-78 51 16 35 0 - 209 287 32 3rd USHL-MW
1978-79 50 12 38 0 - 170 255 24 4th USHL-MW
1979-80 48 10 38 0 - 205 303 20 4th USHL-N
1980-81 48 28 19 1 - 291 223 57 3rd USHL-N
1981-82 48 26 21 1 - 263 251 53 4th USHL
1982-83 48 18 28 2 - 242 294 38 6th USHL
1983-84 48 37 8 0 3 246 160 77 1st USHL
1984-85 48 31 16 0 1 263 198 63 4th USHL
1985-86 48 33 13 0 2 258 178 69 2nd USHL
1986-87 48 21 22 4 1 236 228 47 8th USHL
1987-88 48 29 15 4 0 277 181 66 3rd USHL
1988-89 48 38 10 0 0 306 171 76 2nd USHL
1989-90 48 27 19 1 1 229 197 56 6th USHL
1990-91 48 28 16 3 1 228 182 60 4th USHL
1991-92 48 31 12 2 3 255 179 67 3rd USHL
1992-93 48 26 19 2 1 212 201 55 5th USHL
1993-94 52 20 28 0 4 175 183 44 7th USHL
1994-95 48 31 14 2 1 211 166 65 3rd USHL
1995-96 46 18 21 3 4 169 184 43 8th USHL
1996-97 54 25 26 3 0 190 211 53 4th USHL-N
1997-98 56 19 32 5 0 162 242 43 6th USHL-N
1998-99 56 22 34 0 0 183 246 44 4th USHL-C
1999-00 58 31 19 0 8 203 174 70 5th USHL-W

Playoffs

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  • 1972 Lost Final
Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort Hurricanes 2-games-to-none
Thunder Bay Vulcans defeated Minnesota Jr. Stars 4-games-to-none
  • 1973 Won League, Won TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy final, Lost Dudley Hewitt Cup quarter-final
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-none CAJHL CHAMPIONS, JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) defeated St. Paul Vulcans 4-games-to-1

References

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  1. ^ a b c "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.Free access icon
  3. ^ Derowitsch, Mark (July 12, 1997). "High ticket prices buy Stars' fans more than hockey". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 17.Free access icon; Derowitsch, Mark (July 12, 1997). "Omaha hasn't raised prices (Continued from Page 1C)". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 21.Free access icon
  4. ^ Derowitsch, Mark (May 24, 1998). "USHL hoping to allow more leniency about fights". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 18.Free access icon
  5. ^ Brackin, Dennis (September 3, 1999). "Vulcans open camp for last season in Minnesota". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 40.Free access icon; "Hockey". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. September 6, 1999. p. 17.Free access icon
  6. ^ Reusse, Patrick (March 26, 2000). "So long, Vulcans". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 40.Free access icon
  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.Free access icon
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