Billings Bighorns

Billings Bighorns
founding	1977
resolution	1982
history	Calgary Buffaloes 1966–1967 Calgary Centennials 1967–1977 Billings Bighorns 1977–1982 Nanaimo Islanders 1982–1983 New Westminster Bruins 1983–1988 Tri-City Americans since 1988
Stadion	MetraPark Arena
Location	Billings , Montana
Team colors	red, white, blue
league	Western Hockey League
Memorial Cups	no
Ed Chynoweth Cups	no

The Billings Bighorns were an ice hockey team from Billings , Montana, USA . The team played from 1977 to 1982 in one of the three highest Canadian junior ice hockey leagues, the Western Hockey League (WHL).

history

The Calgary Centennials from the Western Hockey League were relocated to Billings in 1977 and renamed Billings Bighorns. In their very first season, the team reached the finals of the Ed Chynoweth Cup , in which they were subject to the New Westminster Bruins in the best-of-seven series with a sweep . Subsequently, the team from Montana could not build on this success and did not get beyond the first playoff round in the following four years. Above all, the move from the Central to the East Division had an impact on the team's results. They were still winners of the Central Division in the 1978/79 season, so they subsequently finished fourth, fifth and sixth place in the East Division.

After five years, the franchise was moved to Nanaimo, Canada in the neighboring state of British Columbia in 1982 , where it then took part in the WHL's gaming operations under the name Nanaimo Islanders .

Season statistics

Abbreviations: GP = games, W = wins, L = defeats, T = draws, OTL = defeats after overtime, SOL = defeats after shootout , Pts = points, GF = goals scored, GA = goals against, PIM = penalty minutes

season	GP	W.	L.	T	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA	space	Playoffs
1977-78	72	32	31	9	-	-	73	342	336	2., Central	Defeat in the final
1978-79	72	38	23	11	-	-	87	378	302	1st, Central	Playoff qualification defeat
1979-80	72	37	34	1	-	-	75	326	284	4th, East	Defeat in the first round
1980-81	72	30th	40	2	-	-	62	336	334	5th, East	Loss in the division quarter-finals
1981-82	72	27	44	1	-	-	55	369	432	6th, East	Loss in the division quarter-finals

Former players

The following players who were active for the Billings Bighorns played in the National Hockey League during their careers :

Dave Barr Murray Brumwell Rod Buskas Lindsay Carson Pat Conacher Ray Cote

Mike Eagles Brian Ford Bruce Holloway Gord Kluzak Mark Lamb Jim McGeough

Jim McTaggart Randy Moller Andy Moog Don Nachbaur Harvie Pocza Pokey Reddick

Bob Rouse Mike Toal Rocky Trottier Leigh Verstraete Mike Zanier

Team records

Career records

Games: 205 Marcel Frere

Goals: 142 Jim McGeough

Assists: 146 Gord Stafford

Points: 250 Jim McGeough

Penalty minutes: 638 Marcel Frere

Web links

• The Internet Hockey Database Statistics Billings Bighorns
• The Internet Hockey Database - Player List Billings Bighorns