Pacific Southwest Hockey League

The Pacific Southwest Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league that operated in California, Nevada and Alaska starting in 1972 and ran through 1995, when its members were incorporated into the upstart professional West Coast Hockey League. The league operated as the California-Nevada Hockey League from 1968 to 1972.

The PSHL's signature franchise was the Fresno Falcons largely due to convenience and the availability of a then-relatively new showcase arena, Selland Arena in Fresno's Convention Center. At times throughout the league's history, some games even if not involving the Falcons were held at Selland Arena.

A PSHL season ranged from 15 to 30 games each between anywhere from 4 to 8 teams. Franchises shifted frequently, often with new teams appearing the next season from the same cities. The mainstays of the league were the Fresno Falcons, the Los Angeles Bruins and later in the league's history, the Burbank or Los Angeles Jets and the West Covina or California Blackhawks (later just Hawks).

Fighting was also a signature of the league. Games of the day celebrated the rowdy spirit of the Broad Street Bullies era of hockey. Most PSHL cities were not traditional hockey markets, and the relaxed atmosphere which allowed a little more leeway to fight attracted an audience that might not otherwise have attended PSHL games.

PSHL games were often paired with side attractions when it came to teams' marketing, including broomball and Roller Derby.

The PSHL's players often were unpaid, not uncommon in semi-professional hockey.

Many had professional hockey experience, with perhaps the most notable being Willie O'Ree, celebrated as the first black NHL player. O'Ree finished his playing days with the PSHL's San Diego Sharks in 1978-79.

Player/coaches were a common occurrence in the PSHL, and many players also played in other professional, amateur, or even senior leagues at the same time as their PSHL tenure.

The PSHL continued into the 1980s and 90s largely unchanged, though events that were unusual began to periodically indicate instability.

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