# Fresno Monsters

The Fresno Monsters are a junior ice hockey team based in Fresno, California. The team is a member of the United States Premier Hockey League and plays in the Premier Division. The Monsters' home venue is Gateway Ice Center.

## History

The Monsters were announced in spring 2009, filling a void for hockey in Fresno after the Fresno Falcons folded. The team began play in mid-September 2009, playing in the Tier III Jr. A Western States Hockey League (WSHL). On December 15, 2009, the Monsters announced the organization was given expansion approval into the Tier II North American Hockey League (NAHL) for the 2010–11 season and Fresno would host two levels of junior hockey for the first time. On May 23, 2013, it was revealed the Monsters' North American Hockey League franchise would move to Wenatchee, Washington, and become the second Wenatchee Wild. The Monsters would continue to field a team in the Western States Hockey League, now sanctioned under United Hockey Union (UHU) instead of USA Hockey, with the same ownership of David White and Shoot the Puck, Inc. In 2015, the UHU promoted the WSHL and Monsters to their own level of Tier II.
On March 22, 2016, after six seasons coaching the WSHL Monsters, head coach and general manager Bryce Dale stepped down from his positions with the organization. In June 2016, David White sold the Monsters to the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation, led by Jeff Blair. Former Monsters' assistant coach, Jason Rivera, was then named head coach but was replaced by former NHL enforcer, Kevin "Killer" Kaminski prior to the season. In January 2018, the team announced it would begin to occasionally play games again at the larger Selland Arena, their home while the organization also had a NAHL franchise. The following season, the Monsters moved back to Selland Arena for 21 of their 23 scheduled home games. After three seasons, coach Kaminski left to become the head coach of the La Ronge Ice Wolves in his home province of Saskatchewan. He was replaced by Trevor Karasiewicz from the Watertown Wolves in the Federal Hockey League.
In 2020, the Monsters left the WSHL and joined another independent junior hockey league, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), in the Premier Division.

## Season-by-season records
### WSHL/USPHL team (2009–present)

| Season | GP | W | L | OTW | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2009–10 | 49 | 41 | 5 | — | 3 | 85 | 264 | 94 | 1,516 | 1st of 8, Western | Won Div. Semifinals vs. San Diego Gulls Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Phoenix Polar Bears |
| 2010–11 | 46 | 36 | 8 | — | 2 | 74 | 220 | 119 | 1,233 | 2nd of 8, Western | Lost Div. Semifinals vs. Phoenix Polar Bears |
| 2011–12 | 46 | 43 | 2 | — | 1 | 87 | 264 | 93 | 1,281 | 1st of 6, Western 1st of 16, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Arizona RedHawks Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Valencia Flyers 0–3–0 in Thorne Cup Finals Round Robin (L, 1–3 vs. Jr. Steelheads; L, 3–6 vs. Ice Jets; L, 2–3 vs. Rhinos) |
| 2012–13 | 46 | 32 | 13 | — | 1 | 65 | 208 | 114 | 1,326 | 1st of 6, Western 4th of 22, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. San Diego Gulls Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Bay Area Seals 0–2–0 in Thorne Cup Finals Round Robin (wild card) (L, 3–4 vs. Jr. Steelheads; L, 3–8 vs. Rhinos) |
| 2013–14 | 46 | 37 | 5 | — | 4 | 78 | 240 | 122 | 1,367 | 1st of 6, Western 3rd of 24, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Long Beach Bombers Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Ontario Avalanche 2–1–0 in Thorne Cup Finals Round Robin (W, 6–3 vs. Jr. Brahmas; OTW, 4–3 vs. Jr. Steelheads; L, 1–3 vs. Knights) Lost Thorne Cup Semifinal game, 2–3 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads |
| 2014–15 | 46 | 38 | 7 | — | 1 | 77 | 301 | 94 | 1,257 | 1st of 8, Western 3rd of 28, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. San Diego Gulls Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Valencia Flyers Lost Conf. Finals, 0–2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads |
| 2015–16 | 52 | 36 | 12 | — | 4 | 76 | 267 | 147 | 1,214 | 3rd of 8, Western 9th of 29, WSHL | Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Arizona Hawks Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Long Beach Bombers |
| 2016–17 | 52 | 25 | 22 | — | 5 | 55 | 224 | 237 | 1,084 | 5th of 8, Western 16th of 27, WSHL | Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Las Vegas Storm |
| 2017–18 | 51 | 33 | 17 | — | 1 | 67 | 298 | 189 | 1,255 | 3rd of 6, Western 9th of 23, WSHL | Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. San Diego Sabers Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Ontario Avalanche Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Long Beach Bombers |
| 2018–19 | 51 | 31 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 227 | 172 | 1,248 | 2nd of 5, Western 9th of 23, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals. 2–0 vs. San Diego Sabers Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Long Beach Bombers |
| 2019–20 | 51 | 34 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 108 | 294 | 141 | 793 | 1st of 5, Western 6th of 20, WSHL | Playoffs cancelled |
| 2020–21 | 40 | 28 | 10 | — | 2 | 58 | 227 | 124 | 983 | 1st of 5, Pacific 18th of 62, USPHL-Premier | Won Div. Semifinal game, 6–2 vs. San Diego Sabers Won Division Championship game, 7–2 vs. Las Vegas Thunderbirds 1–2–0 USPHL Premier Nationals round-robin Pool D (L, 6–8 vs. Jr. Hurricanes; L, 2–7 vs. Cherokee; W, 8–6 vs. Moose) |
| 2021–22 | 44 | 30 | 11 | — | 3 | 63 | 307 | 163 | 1002 | 1st of 6, Pacific 13th of 64, USPHL-Premier | Won Div. Semifinal, 2–0 vs. Ontario Jr. Reign Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Las Vegas Thunderbirds 0–1–2 USPHL Premier Nationals round-robin Pool D (L, 2–4 vs. Blue Ox; SOL, 4–5 vs. Cherokee; OTL, 4–5 vs. Generals) |
| 2022–23 | 46 | 38 | 7 | — | 1 | 77 | 269 | 129 | 1106 | 1st of 7, Pacific 6th of 69, USPHL-Premier | Won Div. Semifinal, 2–0 vs. San Diego Sabers Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Las Vegas Thunderbirds |
| 2023–24 | 46 | 39 | 5 | — | 2 | 80 | 345 | 130 | 848 | 1st of 7, Pacific 2nd of 61, USPHL-Premier | Won Div. Semifinal, 2–0 vs. Bakersfield Roughnecks Lost Div. Finals, 2-3 vs. Ontario Jr. Reign |
* 1 2 Beginning with the 2018–19 season, the WSHL awarded 3pts for a win, 2pts for an overtime win, and 1pt for an overtime loss.

### North American Hockey League team (2010–2013)

| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2010–11 | 58 | 19 | 34 | 5 | 43 | 158 | 243 | 1,635 | 6th of 6, West | did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 27 | 23 | 10 | 64 | 167 | 179 | 1,454 | 5th of 6, West | did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | 60 | 18 | 35 | 7 | 43 | 139 | 224 | 1,115 | 4th of 4, West | Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–3 vs. Wenatchee Wild |