Thunder Bay Bulldogs
Encyclopedia
The Thunder Bay Bulldogs were a Junior "A" ice hockey
team from the Port Arthur
section of Thunder Bay
, Ontario
, Canada
. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League
.
.
Both the 2001-02 and 2002-03 season were winning seasons for the Bulldogs, with the 2002-03 season having them finish in second place overall. Despite a record of 31 wins, 15 losses, 3 ties, and 3 losses in overtime, the Bulldogs were unable to displace the Fort Frances Borderland Thunder
s for the 2003 Bill Salonen Cup.
In 2003, their crosstown rivals, the Fort William North Stars
, started picking up momentum. For two seasons, the Port Arthur squad dominated while Fort William tried to keep up. In 2003, the Bulldogs fell apart while the North Stars began a season that would leave them in 2006 as three-time defending league champions.
From 2003 until 2008, the Bulldogs never had more than 15 wins in a season.
In 2008, it was decided that the Bulldogs should fold into the Thunder Bay Bearcats
franchise. Dropping from three to two Thunder Bay clubs was done in an effort to resurrect the Thunder Bay Kings Midget AAA program that had to cease in 2007.
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 from the Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
section of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League
Superior International Junior Hockey League
The Superior International Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The winner of the SIJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern...
.
History
The Thunder Bay Bulldogs, sometimes referred to as the Port Arthur Bulldogs, were founded with the inception of the Superior International Junior Hockey LeagueSuperior International Junior Hockey League
The Superior International Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The winner of the SIJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern...
.
Both the 2001-02 and 2002-03 season were winning seasons for the Bulldogs, with the 2002-03 season having them finish in second place overall. Despite a record of 31 wins, 15 losses, 3 ties, and 3 losses in overtime, the Bulldogs were unable to displace the Fort Frances Borderland Thunder
Fort Frances Borderland Thunder
The Borderland Thunder are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
s for the 2003 Bill Salonen Cup.
In 2003, their crosstown rivals, the Fort William North Stars
Fort William North Stars
The Thunder Bay North Stars are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
, started picking up momentum. For two seasons, the Port Arthur squad dominated while Fort William tried to keep up. In 2003, the Bulldogs fell apart while the North Stars began a season that would leave them in 2006 as three-time defending league champions.
From 2003 until 2008, the Bulldogs never had more than 15 wins in a season.
In 2008, it was decided that the Bulldogs should fold into the Thunder Bay Bearcats
Thunder Bay Bearcats
The Thunder Bay Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
franchise. Dropping from three to two Thunder Bay clubs was done in an effort to resurrect the Thunder Bay Kings Midget AAA program that had to cease in 2007.
Season-by-season results
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2001-02 | 48 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 216 | 198 | 51 | 4th SIJHL | |
| 2002-03 | 52 | 31 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 257 | 207 | 68 | 2nd SIJHL | |
| 2003-04 | 48 | 15 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 165 | 236 | 38 | 4th SIJHL | |
| 2004-05 | 48 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 4 | 72 | 361 | 10 | 5th SIJHL | DNQ |
| 2005-06 | 52 | 9 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 138 | 340 | 20 | 5th SIJHL | DNQ |
| 2006-07 | 50 | 13 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 193 | 309 | 29 | 5th SIJHL | DNQ |
| 2007-08 | 50 | 9 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 111 | 212 | 21 | 6th SIJHL | Lost Quarter-final |
Playoffs
- 2002 Lost Semi-final
- Fort Frances Borderland ThunderFort Frances Borderland ThunderThe Borderland Thunder are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs 4-games-to-3- 2003 Lost Final, Lost Dudley Hewitt CupDudley Hewitt CupThe Dudley Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournaments conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The trophy was first awarded in 1979. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup competes at the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.-History:...
round robin
- 2003 Lost Final, Lost Dudley Hewitt Cup
- Thunder Bay Bulldogs defeated Fort William Wolves 4-games-to-1
- Fort Frances Borderland ThunderFort Frances Borderland ThunderThe Borderland Thunder are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs 4-games-to-1 - Fourth and eliminated from Dudley Hewitt CupDudley Hewitt CupThe Dudley Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournaments conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The trophy was first awarded in 1979. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup competes at the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.-History:...
round robin- 2004 Lost Semi-final
- Fort William North StarsFort William North StarsThe Thunder Bay North Stars are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs 4-games-to-none- 2005 DNQ
- 2006 DNQ
- 2007 DNQ
- 2008 Lost Quarter-final
- Thunder Bay BearcatsThunder Bay BearcatsThe Thunder Bay Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.-History:...
defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs 3-games-to-none