Tacoma Sabercats
Encyclopedia
The Tacoma Sabercats were an American professional minor league ice hockey
team based in Tacoma, Washington
. The team began play in the West Coast Hockey League
as of the 1997-98 season.
Tacoma immediately emerged as a power in the WCHL, winning the regular season Northern Division title and reaching the league finals in its first season. However the Sabercats were defeated by the defending champion San Diego Gulls
in the league's Taylor Cup finals.
The following season, 1998–99, Tacoma won its second WCHL Northern Division title and defeated the Gulls in the Taylor Cup finals, becoming the first team other than San Diego to win the WCHL title in the league's history. Although the Sabercats won the WCHL Northern Division a third time in 1999-2000, the team failed to win another league championship.
Throughout their history the Sabercats were the only professional ice hockey team in Washington state. Although the team enjoyed a strong following in the Tacoma area, it folded after being eliminated by the Idaho Steelheads
in the 2001-02 WCHL playoffs. There is just one active player that played for the Sabercats Marty Flichel who now plays for the Idaho Steelheads.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. The team began play in the West Coast Hockey League
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
as of the 1997-98 season.
Tacoma immediately emerged as a power in the WCHL, winning the regular season Northern Division title and reaching the league finals in its first season. However the Sabercats were defeated by the defending champion San Diego Gulls
San Diego Gulls (1995-2006)
The third San Diego Gulls team was founded in 1995 immediately upon departure of the IHL team. The new Gulls were a part of the West Coast Hockey League. The Gulls played at the San Diego Sports Arena, formerly known as the "iPayOne Center."-History:...
in the league's Taylor Cup finals.
The following season, 1998–99, Tacoma won its second WCHL Northern Division title and defeated the Gulls in the Taylor Cup finals, becoming the first team other than San Diego to win the WCHL title in the league's history. Although the Sabercats won the WCHL Northern Division a third time in 1999-2000, the team failed to win another league championship.
Throughout their history the Sabercats were the only professional ice hockey team in Washington state. Although the team enjoyed a strong following in the Tacoma area, it folded after being eliminated by the Idaho Steelheads
Idaho Steelheads
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003....
in the 2001-02 WCHL playoffs. There is just one active player that played for the Sabercats Marty Flichel who now plays for the Idaho Steelheads.