Granite City Lumberjacks

Granite City Lumberjacks
CitySauk Rapids, Minnesota
LeagueNA3HL
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.

History

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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

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Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Regular Season Finish Playoffs
Minnesota Junior Hockey League
2007–08 No statistics available
2008–09 48 41 5 2 84 238 109 1st, MnJHL
2009–10 50 36 12 2 74 258 121 2nd, MnJHL Lost in Semifinals
2010–11 45 36 8 1 73 215 100 1st, MnJHL Bush Cup Champions
North American 3 Hockey League
2011–12 48 33 11 4 70 199 106 1st 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
2012–13 48 36 8 4 76 212 122 2nd 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
2013–14 48 36 12 0 72 249 124 2nd 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
2014–15 47 33 9 5 71 197 113 2nd 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
2015–16 47 33 11 3 69 196 112 1st 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
2016–17 47 32 8 7 71 188 111 1st 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
2017–18 47 33 14 0 66 225 107 1st 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
2018–19 47 37 8 2 76 239 98 1st of 7, West Div.
6th of 36, NA3HL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Alexandria Blizzard
2019–20 47 33 13 1 67 229 107 2nd of 6, West Div.
9th of 34, NA3HL		 Playoffs cancelled
2020–21 40 27 12 1 55 156 105 2nd of 5, West Div.
10th of 31, NA3HL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Willmar WarHawks
2021–22 47 44 3 0 88 284 67 1st 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
2022–23 47 39 6 2 80 233 111 1st 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
2023–24 47 36 9 2 74 244 104 1st 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

[edit]
Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Game Championship Game
2009[7] T, 2–2 vs. Dubuque Thunderbirds (CSHL)
W, 3–2 vs. Seattle Totems (NorPac)
OTW, 6–5 vs. Northern Cyclones (AtJHL)		 2–0–1 2nd 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)		 1–1–1 2nd 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)		 2–1–0 3rd of 4
Div. 1		 Not played Did not advance

NA3HL FRASER CUP Championship

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

Alumni

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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]

References

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  1. ^ http://www.lumberjackshockey.com/page/show/179860-past-teams[permanent dead link‍]
  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.
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