NorCal Guide to Hockey (Lockout edition)

[Oilers Chick]

So the lockout is officially underway. No NHL, but need your hockey fix? No problem. Below is a guide of leagues/teams well worth checking out all around Northern California.

ECHL: The San Francisco Bulls make their inaugural debut at the Cow Palace this season. From what I understand, the arena has undergone some renovations/upgrades.

The Bulls' NorCal rivals are the Stockton Thunder. While it may be a drive for many of you, it's well worth a trip to Stockton to see and experience the excitement at Stockton Arena.

The Bulls and Thunder have their first meeting of the season on Nov. 9 at the Cow Palace.

College Hockey: While California does not have a D-I or D-III Men's Hockey team, there are several ACHA (Club level) teams that do play around the state. One I would recommend are the San Jose State Spartans. Always tough in the Pac-8 conference. The Spartans play their home games at Sharks Ice (formerly Logitech) and open their 2012-13 season at home versus rival USC on Oct. 5.

Travel/Youth Hockey: NorCal has 14 member teams that play as far north as Santa Rosa, as far as south as Fresno and as far east as South Lake Tahoe. The most prominent of all NorCal teams are the Jr Sharks. Like SJSU, the Jr Sharks also call Sharks Ice home. The Jr Sharks are well worth a look, especially because many of the players head to either the collegiate ranks or the WHL (such was the case with recent NHL Sharks signee and former Jr Shark Matt Tennyson). If you want to see lots of scouts and recruits, try checking out a Jr Sharks 16AAA game. Heck, you may even see NHL Sharks head coach Todd Maclellan at a game, since his son Tyson plays for the team.

High School Hockey: The Junior Varsity season of the HP High School Hockey League gets underway in October (the Varsity season gets going in the spring). This year, the HPHSHL has several new schools on board including Los Gatos HS and Dublin HS. If you're looking for a good ol' NorCal HS hockey grudge match, then I'd highly recommend checking out a game between private school archrivals Bellarmine and Valley Christian. The atmosphere is electric and the students of each school really get into it. The two schools are also two of the original members of HPHSHL. FYI, Tyson Mclellan also attends Valley Christian.

So there you have it. It may not be the NHL, but there's lots of great hockey around Northern California worth checking out during the lockout if you do want to get that hockey fix. It's also a great way to support local teams as well.

[MrCowGod15]

Get drunk on CalTrain and watch the Bulls. I suppose that'll work.

[Trl3789]

Don't forget us beer leaguers

[OffSydes]

Originally Posted by MrCowGod15

Get drunk on CalTrain and watch the Bulls. I suppose that'll work.

I really do not suggest walking to or from the Cow Palace to a train station at night.







My beer league team is also a possibility

[sharski]

I remember going to that free game they San Francisco Spiders had back when they existed

I'll definitely think about checking out some Bulls games out of curiosity... i wonder how the old cow palace is doing nowadays

[Trl3789]

Originally Posted by OffSydes

I really do not suggest walking to or from the Cow Palace to a train station at night.







My beer league team is also a possibility

Seriously though, who would want to watch some good old EEEE beer league hockey.

[Robes of Teal]

Originally Posted by OffSydes

I really do not suggest walking to or from the Cow Palace to a train station at night.

pshh aint that bad

I was just checking out the AIHL; http://aihlhockey.com,
idk when the season starts or ticket prices(if any) but most of the games are at rolling ice, also the 2 time reigning national champions Oakland Goodlife are in the regional division which is kinda cool, probably a fun time. I love the atmosphere of inline hockey personally but I'm bias.

Lockout's gonnna suuuuckk, like worse then the Raiders

[OffSydes]

Originally Posted by 88eight

pshh aint that bad

I was just checking out the AIHL; http://aihlhockey.com,
idk when the season starts or ticket prices(if any) but most of the games are at rolling ice, also the 2 time reigning national champions Oakland Goodlife are in the regional division which is kinda cool, probably a fun time. I love the atmosphere of inline hockey personally but I'm bias.

Lockout's gonnna suuuuckk, like worse then the Raiders

I have friends that play in that league and on Goodlife.. trust me you will be disappoint

[Trojan35]

Originally Posted by Trl3789

Seriously though, who would want to watch some good old EEEE beer league hockey.

Just about any kind of hockey is very fun to watch if you're with a big enough crowd and everyone has some background knowledge of the teams/players.

[Wedontneedroads]

Originally Posted by Trojan35

Just about any kind of hockey is very fun to watch if you're with a big enough crowd and everyone has some background knowledge of the teams/players.

It gets real packed for our 11:15 pm games so you should definitely come early.

[cmcdmania]

For NorCal college hockey, UC Davis plays Div III. I think Sac State might also because they play each other a bunch. A bit of a drive from the Bay Area, but it's closer than driving to Tahoe (I think).

[BeeRad]

Bulls picked such a good year to open They knew..

[joe2cheech]

I'm an intern for the bulls....we have made a lot of improvements to the cow palace such as brand new scoreboard/new sound system and renovated the concession stands.
Hope you guys make it to some games

[WTFetus]

Originally Posted by cmcdmania

For NorCal college hockey, UC Davis plays Div III. I think Sac State might also because they play each other a bunch. A bit of a drive from the Bay Area, but it's closer than driving to Tahoe (I think).

Cal also has a team in Oakland. Pre-season games start this weekend at SJSU IIRC.

[SonomaShark]

FREE tickets to the Thunder vs Bulls exhibition game on October 3rd.

http://sfbulls.com/youre-invited-to-...hibition-game/

[Tomahawk214]

Originally Posted by cmcdmania

For NorCal college hockey, UC Davis plays Div III. I think Sac State might also because they play each other a bunch. A bit of a drive from the Bay Area, but it's closer than driving to Tahoe (I think).

Davis-Sac State is always a fun game, no matter the sport.

[Arrch]

Originally Posted by cmcdmania

For NorCal college hockey, UC Davis plays Div III. I think Sac State might also because they play each other a bunch. A bit of a drive from the Bay Area, but it's closer than driving to Tahoe (I think).

I feel bad that I've gone to Sac State for years and never knew we had a hockey team...

[Berto2k]

Originally Posted by SonomaShark

FREE tickets to the Thunder vs Bulls exhibition game on October 3rd.

http://sfbulls.com/youre-invited-to-...hibition-game/

I think you forgot some of the url there .

[Steelhead16]

One more team to throw into the mix is the Tier III Junior A Bay Area Seals also playing at the Cow Palace. Playing their first season in the WSHL

We have the top WSHL team up here in Boise and I have seen a good number of their games. League talent has picked up quite a bit the past 2 years. We've had kids from Tri Valley in Dublin (my old club) playing up here the past 3 seasons and I know the Seals will have some local kids playing for them as well as kids from other states and probably a couple Europeans. Most kids move on to D-III programs so that is about the level of play.

Here is the league link and you can get to the Seals page from there.

http://wshl.org/

[MetropolisPt31]

Don't forget my alma mater, Santa Clara University, has a hockey team: www.scuhockey.com

[Matalvatz]

So if the lockout lasts the entire season, where we going on the bus trip? Haha!

[Berto2k]

Originally Posted by Matalvatz

So if the lockout lasts the entire season, where we going on the bus trip? Haha!

SF Bulls or Stockton Thunder have been thrown around.