fresnofalcons.com: About Us

Fresno Falcons Professional Hockey
2650 E. Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93710
(559) 485-PUCK (7825)
office@fresnofalcons.com

FRESNO FALCONS HOCKEY – 60 YEARS IN THE MAKING

February 24^th marked a new beginning, not only for the Falcons, but for the future of professional sports in Fresno. Fresno Hockey Club, LLC, led by many of the same individuals that own the Fresno Grizzlies AAA baseball club, purchased a hockey team that is playing in its seventh decade.

The history of hockey in Fresno dates back 60 years to the fall of 1946 when the Fresno Falcons opened play in the Pacific Coast Hockey League at the Fresno Ice Arena. Fresno played in the PCHL for a total of five seasons, capturing the Gordon Petrie Trophy as league champions after a two-year hiatus at the end of the 1952-53 season.

Following the championship campaign, hockey in Fresno lay dormant for the next 14 years until local promoter James Freeman staged a pair of exhibitions during the fall of 1967 at the then brand-new Selland Arena featuring teams from the Western Hockey League. Unable to land a WHL franchise, Freeman instead created his own semi-professional circuit, which eventually became the Pacific Southwest Hockey League and called Selland Arena home from 1968 through 1995. The team played hockey for “meals, travel, bed, and beer” and proceeded to win 10 championships against clubs from Southern California with Selland Arena serving as the venue for every league game.

Beginning with the 1995-96 campaign, the Falcons entered the world of full-time professional hockey as founding members of the West Coast Hockey League. Fresno played in the inaugural Taylor Cup Finals against the San Diego Gulls, helping to create one of the fiercest rivalries in minor league sports.

In 2000, the organization was purchased by Chandar Sports under the direction of Charles Davenport and continued its run as one of the upper echelon teams in the WCHL. Mid-way through the 2001-02 season, the Falcons were mired in last place across the entire league but somehow righted the ship and marched all the way to a championship. Kris Porter’s game-winning goal in double overtime of Game Six of the Taylor Cup Finals against the Idaho Steelheads delivered the Falcons’ only professional championship on May 24, 2002. Fresno returned to the Finals the next season, eventually losing in a decisive seventh game to the Gulls in the last game ever played in the WCHL.

The 2003-04 season opened a new era of hockey in Fresno, as the Falcons moved to the ECHL, North America’s Premier “AA” Hockey League, and the $100+ million Save Mart Center. Playing in a league spanning Alaska to Florida and San Diego to New Jersey, the level of play reached the highest it has ever been in Fresno. Armed with an affiliation with the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, the Falcons began to develop players that aspired to reach the best league in the world. Former Falcons goaltender Nolan Schaefer, who played 12 games in a Fresno sweater during the team’s first season in the ECHL before earning a permanent promotion to the American Hockey League, reached the pinnacle of the sport when he played his first game for the Sharks on Oct. 26, 2005.

More change greeted the Falcons in 2005-06 as they served as the host team for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game and began their second decade as a professional organization. Matt Thomas took over the helm as the team’s fifth professional head coach and currently has the club on the cusp of its first trip to the post-season since joining the ECHL. Positioned atop the Pacific Division with a record of 30-10-10, the team is on track to win the organization’s first division title as it seeks to bring the city of Fresno another championship.




Team Meet Your Falcons Meet The Team Staff Meet The Front Office Staff Player of the... Transactions All-Time Falcons All-Time Franchises Bests About Us	Fresno Falcons Professional Hockey 2650 E. Shaw Ave. Fresno, CA 93710 (559) 485-PUCK (7825) office@fresnofalcons.com FRESNO FALCONS HOCKEY – 60 YEARS IN THE MAKING February 24^th marked a new beginning, not only for the Falcons, but for the future of professional sports in Fresno. Fresno Hockey Club, LLC, led by many of the same individuals that own the Fresno Grizzlies AAA baseball club, purchased a hockey team that is playing in its seventh decade. The history of hockey in Fresno dates back 60 years to the fall of 1946 when the Fresno Falcons opened play in the Pacific Coast Hockey League at the Fresno Ice Arena. Fresno played in the PCHL for a total of five seasons, capturing the Gordon Petrie Trophy as league champions after a two-year hiatus at the end of the 1952-53 season. Following the championship campaign, hockey in Fresno lay dormant for the next 14 years until local promoter James Freeman staged a pair of exhibitions during the fall of 1967 at the then brand-new Selland Arena featuring teams from the Western Hockey League. Unable to land a WHL franchise, Freeman instead created his own semi-professional circuit, which eventually became the Pacific Southwest Hockey League and called Selland Arena home from 1968 through 1995. The team played hockey for “meals, travel, bed, and beer” and proceeded to win 10 championships against clubs from Southern California with Selland Arena serving as the venue for every league game. Beginning with the 1995-96 campaign, the Falcons entered the world of full-time professional hockey as founding members of the West Coast Hockey League. Fresno played in the inaugural Taylor Cup Finals against the San Diego Gulls, helping to create one of the fiercest rivalries in minor league sports. In 2000, the organization was purchased by Chandar Sports under the direction of Charles Davenport and continued its run as one of the upper echelon teams in the WCHL. Mid-way through the 2001-02 season, the Falcons were mired in last place across the entire league but somehow righted the ship and marched all the way to a championship. Kris Porter’s game-winning goal in double overtime of Game Six of the Taylor Cup Finals against the Idaho Steelheads delivered the Falcons’ only professional championship on May 24, 2002. Fresno returned to the Finals the next season, eventually losing in a decisive seventh game to the Gulls in the last game ever played in the WCHL. The 2003-04 season opened a new era of hockey in Fresno, as the Falcons moved to the ECHL, North America’s Premier “AA” Hockey League, and the $100+ million Save Mart Center. Playing in a league spanning Alaska to Florida and San Diego to New Jersey, the level of play reached the highest it has ever been in Fresno. Armed with an affiliation with the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, the Falcons began to develop players that aspired to reach the best league in the world. Former Falcons goaltender Nolan Schaefer, who played 12 games in a Fresno sweater during the team’s first season in the ECHL before earning a permanent promotion to the American Hockey League, reached the pinnacle of the sport when he played his first game for the Sharks on Oct. 26, 2005. More change greeted the Falcons in 2005-06 as they served as the host team for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game and began their second decade as a professional organization. Matt Thomas took over the helm as the team’s fifth professional head coach and currently has the club on the cusp of its first trip to the post-season since joining the ECHL. Positioned atop the Pacific Division with a record of 30-10-10, the team is on track to win the organization’s first division title as it seeks to bring the city of Fresno another championship.
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