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Dubuque Fighting Saints (1980–2001)

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This article is about the defunct Dubuque Fighting Saints junior hockey team that played in the USHL from 1980 to 2001. For the current team of the same name that began playing in 2010, see: Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Dubuque Fighting Saints
CityDubuque, Iowa
LeagueUSHL
Founded1979
Operated1980–2001
Home arenaFive Flags Center
Franchise history
1979–1980Waterloo Black Hawks
1980–2001Dubuque Fighting Saints
2001–2002Tulsa Crude
Championships
Regular season titlesAnderson Cup
2 (1980–81, 1982–83)
Playoff championshipsClark Cup
3 (1980–81, 1982–83, 1984–85)


The Dubuque Fighting Saints were a Tier I junior ice hockey team that played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 1980 to 2001. The team moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to become the Tulsa Crude in 2001 citing low attendance and rising costs. A new team would use the same name when Dubuque was granted an expansion franchise in the USHL in 2010.

The Saints glory years lasted from 1980–81 through to 1984–85, when they played under the coaching supervision of Jack Barzee who left to become a central figure in the National Hockey League's Central Scouting Staff. During their first season in 1980–81, the Fighting Saints record was 52-11-2, a league record. In 1982–83, the Saints went on to win their second national championship in three years.

History

Prior to 1979, the USHL was a semi-professional hockey league operating in midwestern United States. The Waterloo Black Hawks made the transition to a junior hockey team in 1979 as the league switched to junior hockey as the associated costs with paying professionals were rising. After one season, head coach and general manager, Jack Barzee, had the Black Hawks relocated to Dubuque, Iowa, and renamed the team the Fighting Saints. The team would prove to be very successful under Barzee and would win two national championships, three playoff championships, and two regular season titles before Barzee left in 1985.[1]

After Barzee's departure, the team began to struggle on and off the ice. The team's record decreased every season until it finally finished last in 1988–89 and 1989–90 seasons. It was not until Chris and Peter Ferraro joined the team in 1990–91 did the team start to play competitively again. Coach Cary Eades took over in 1991–92 and brought the team back to contention including a National Tournament championship in 1992–93 before he left in 1993. Owner Brian Gallagher would eventually take over as head coach in the 1997–98 season and the team would only make the playoffs once in his tenure. In 2001, Gallagher announced he was moving the team to Tulsa, Oklahoma, citing rising coast and low attendance. He renamed the team the Tusla Crude but only lasted one season before ceasing operations.

Seasons records[2]

Season GP W L T OTL SOL PTS GF GA PIM Regular Season Results Playoff Results
1980-81 48 38 9 1 * * 77 351 187 -- 1st of 4, Southern Conference
1st of 8 , USHL
Anderson Cup Champions		 Clark Cup Champions
1981-82[3] 48 29 19 0 * * 58 274 232 -- 2nd of 7
1982-83[4] 48 39 8 1 * * 79 350 217 -- 1st of 7
Anderson Cup Champions		 Clark Cup Champions
1983-84[5] 48 20 23 2 * * 45 227 246 -- 5th of 8
1984-85[6] 48 30 14 0 * * 64 267 232 -- 3rd of 10 Clark Cup Champions
1985-86[7] 48 27 15 1 5 * 60 247 190 -- 4th of 9
1986-87 48 25 21 1 1 * 52 263 236 -- 5th of 10
1987-88 48 6 39 3 0 * 15 158 349 -- 9th of 10
1988-89 48 7 40 1 0 * 15 185 380 -- 10th of 10
1989-90 48 8 39 0 1 * 17 152 323 -- 10th of 10
1990-91 48 22 26 0 * * 46 245 222 -- 6th of 10
1991-92 48 27 19 2 * * 58 256 212 -- 4th of 10
1992-93 48 30 11 5 2 * 67 229 163 -- 3rd of 10
1993-94 48 29 17 1 1 * 61 224 177 -- 5th of 10
1994-95 48 24 18 4 2 * 54 175 169 -- 6th of 11
1995-96 46 15 28 1 2 * 33 145 214 -- 10th of 11
1996-97 54 17 34 0 3 * 37 157 211 1700 4th of 6, South Division Did not qualify
1997-98 54 19 36 * 0 1 30 159 238 1657 6th of 6, South Division Did not qualify
1998-99 56 22 32 0 2 * 46 164 217 1232 3rd of 4, East Division Lost Quarterfinals 0-3 to Omaha Lancers
1999-00 58 16 39 * * 3 35 141 230 1248 7th of 7, East Division Did not qualify
2000-01 56 15 37 0 4 * 34 148 219 879 5th of 6, East Division Did not qualify
Tulsa Crude
2001-02 61 12 43 0 6 * 30 121 237 1185 7th of 7, West Division Did not qualify

(*) = Depending on the year, league rules changed often in regards to use of Ties (T), Overtime Losses (OTL), and Shootout Losses (SOL). Not all categories were used each year.
-- = Penalty Minutes (PIM) were not a recorded league stat until the 1996-97 season.

Championships

Clark Cup: Awarded each year to the winner of the USHL's Tier I Junior Hockey playoff champions. Dubuque won this Cup three of its first five years as a franchise.

  • 1980–81
  • 1982–83
  • 1984–85

Anderson Cup: Won by the team that accumulates the most points in the standings at the end of the regular season. Dubuque won the Anderson Cup in two of the franchise's first three seasons.

  • 1980–81
  • 1982–83

Alumni

National Hockey League

European leagues

American Hockey League

ECHL

International Hockey League

Other leagues

References

  1. ^ "Dubuque Fighting Saints Team History". Dubuque Fighting Saints. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  2. ^ http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/251.html
  3. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19820308&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  4. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19830307&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  5. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19840311&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  6. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19850304&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  7. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19860303&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  8. ^ http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=27619
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