Helena Bighorns
| Helena Bighorns | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Helena, Montana |
| League | NA3HL |
| Division | Frontier |
| Founded | 2004 (In the NorPac) |
| Home arena | Helena Ice Arena |
| Colors | Blue, Black and White |
| Owner(s) | Oren Koules |
| Head coach | Bob Richards (2016–17) |
| Website | www.helenabighorns.com |
| Franchise history | |
| 2004–2006 | Queen City Cutthroats |
| 2006–present | Helena Bighorns |
The Helena Bighorns are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) based in Helena, Montana United States. The team plays their home games at the 1,600-seat Helena Ice Arena. The team is owned by Oren Koules, president of Evolution Entertainment and former part-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL). The Helena Bighorns were members of the NorPac from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, the American West Division of the NorPac league broke away to form the American West Hockey League. In March 2014, the NA3HL accepted the AWHL as a new Frontier Division.
The original Helena Bighorns were members of the former Tier II America West Hockey League from 2001 to 2003 after replacing the departed Helena Gold Rush that had operated last in the 1999–2000 season (formerly known as the Helena Ice Pirates from 1994 to 1999). In 2003, the AWHL merged with the larger Tier II North American Hockey League and the Bighorns played in the NAHL until 2006.
In 2004, the Tier III Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac) expanded into Helena with the Queen City Cutthroats and were immediately successful, winning the Cascade Cup in their first year. In 2006, the NAHL Bighorns withdrew from the NAHL and the NorPac franchise would take the name of the formerly higher level team beginning with the 2006–07 season.
The Helena Bighorns/Queen City Cutthroats won six straight NorPac America West Division Championships between 2005 and 2010. They also won the NorPac Cascade Cup six times, 2005, 2006 and four straight from 2008 to 2011.
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