2015-16 NA3HL Season

This is the 2015-16 North American 3 Hockey League season. This is the league's 6th season under the NA3HL moniker and 18th season overall dating back to its' founding as the Central States Hockey League in 1998. The regular season will begin September 4th and end March 13th.
The league will have a league-wide Showcase December 16-19, 2015 at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.
The league will also hold the NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament February 15-16 as part of the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.
The league playoffs will end up with the Silver Cup Championship Tourament March 30-April 3, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois.
==Rule changes==
For the 2015-16 season the league adopted the 3-on-3 format for overtime as well as 3-man shootouts.
==Membership changes==
*The league added the Evansville Thunderbolts, and the Lafayette, Louisiana based Louisiana Drillers as expansion teams
*The Topeka Capitals announced they were relocating from Topeka to Atlanta, Georgia on June 15, 2015. The team is based out of the Center Ice Arena in Atlanta. The team was renamed the Atlanta Capitals
*The league also added the Rochester Ice Hawks from the defunct Minnesota Junior Hockey League
*The Wooster Oilers relocated from Strongsville, Ohio where they were known as the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
*The Metro Jets relocated from Waterford, Michigan to Fraser, Michigan with no name change (when the team was sold) as both are in the Metro Detroit area.
*The league had announced the addition of a franchise out of Sandy Point, Georgia about 12 miles (20km) west of Macon, Georgia to start play with the 2015-16 season; but the team did not come to fruition.
*The Dallas Jr. Stars were renamed the Euless Jr. Stars when the team was sold in early August 2015 to the same ownership group that owns the La Crosse Freeze also of the NA3HL and the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.
==Teams==
The league was realigned to 6 divisions (up from 5) for the 2015-16 season
Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Chicago Jr. Bulldogs 	Romeoville, Illinois 	Canlan Ice Sports Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
La Crosse Freeze 	La Crosse, Wisconsin 	Green Island Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
North Iowa Bulls 	Mason City, Iowa 	North Iowa Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Rochester Ice Hawks 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Rochester Recreation Center 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Wisconsin Whalers 	Madison, Wisconsin 	Hartmeyer Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Metro Jets 	Waterford, Michigan 	Lakeland Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pittsburgh Vengeance 	Harmarville, Pennsylvania 	Bladerunners - Harmarville 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Southern Tier Xpress 	Jamestown, New York 	Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Toledo Cherokee 	Toledo, Ohio 	Team Toledo Ice House 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
West Michigan Wolves 	Battle Creek, Michigan 	Revolution Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Wooster Oilers 	Wooster, Ohio 	Alice Noble Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Frontier Division 	Frontier Division 	Frontier Division 	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Billings Bulls 	Billings, Montana 	Centennial Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Bozeman Icedogs 	Bozeman, Montana 	Haynes Pavilion 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Gillette Wild 	Gillette, Wyoming 	Campbell County Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Glacier Nationals 	Havre, Montana 	Havre Ice Dome 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Great Falls Americans 	Great Falls, Montana 	Great Falls Ice Plex 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Helena Bighorns 	Helena, Montana 	Helena Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Yellowstone Quake 	Cody, Wyoming 	Victor J. Riley Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Cincinnati Thunder 	Evendale, Ohio 	Sports Plus Cincinnati 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Evansville Thunderbolts 	Evansville, Indiana 	Skateswonder, Evansville 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Nashville Jr. Predators 	Franklin, Tennessee 	A-Game SportsPlex 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Peoria Mustangs 	Peoria, Illinois 	Owens Recreation Center 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
St. Louis Jr. Blues 	Affton, Missouri 	Affton Ice Rink 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Atlanta Capitals 	Atlanta, Georgia 	Center Ice Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Euless Jr. Stars 	Euless, Texas 	Dr. Pepper StarCenter (Euless) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Louisiana Drillers 	Lafayette, Louisiana 	Planet Ice 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Point Mallard Ducks 	Decatur, Alabama 	Point Mallard Ice Complex 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sugar Land Imperials 	Sugar Land, Texas 	Sugar Land Ice & Sports Complex 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Texas Jr. Brahmas 	North Richland Hills, Texas	NYTEX Sports Centre 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division
Team 	Location 	Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Alexandria Blizzard 	Alexandria, Minnesota 	Runestone Community Center 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Breezy Point North Stars	Breezy Point, Minnesota 	Breezy Point Hockey Center 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Granite City Lumberjacks	Sauk Rapids, Minnesota 	Rhino Deck Area East 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Minnesota Flying Aces 	Little Falls, Minnesota 	Exchange Arena 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Twin City Steel 	White Bear Lake, Minnesota 	White Bear Lake Sports Center 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Standings==
East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division 	East Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
Metro Jets 	47 	40 	5 	- 	2 	- 	244 	96 	947 	82
Toledo Cherokee 	47 	31 	14 	- 	2 	- 	180 	128 	642 	64
West Michigan Wolves 	47 	26 	17 	- 	4 	- 	170 	161 	1206 	56
Wooster Oilers 	47 	19 	21 	- 	7 	- 	144 	183 	1340 	45
Pittsburgh Vengeance 	47 	19 	25 	- 	3 	- 	132 	157 	637 	41
Southern Tier Xpress 	47 	8 	35 	- 	4 	- 	97 	218 	1011 	20
Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division 	Central Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
North Iowa Bulls 	47 	42 	2 	- 	3 	- 	301 	63 	838 	87
La Crosse Freeze 	47 	32 	15 	- 	0 	- 	200 	125 	1161 	64
Wisconsin Whalers 	47 	31 	16 	- 	0 	- 	246 	136 	980 	62
Rochester Ice Hawks 	47 	10 	36 	- 	1 	- 	123 	272 	1435 	21
Chicago Jr. Bulldogs 	47 	2 	45 	- 	0 	- 	75 	427 	1556 	4
Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division 	Midwest Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
St. Louis Jr. Blues 	47 	35 	8 	- 	4 	- 	262 	129 	831 	74
Peoria Mustangs 	47 	32 	12 	- 	3 	- 	227 	131 	1025 	67
Nashville Jr. Predators 	47 	31 	13 	- 	3 	- 	177 	121 	729 	65
Cincinnati Thunder 	47 	13 	28 	- 	6 	- 	137 	219 	962 	32
Evansville Thunderbolts 	47 	2 	44 	- 	1 	- 	100 	281 	925 	5
South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
Point Mallard Ducks 	47 	35 	9 	- 	3 	- 	207 	119 	690 	73
Texas Jr. Brahmas 	47 	35 	9 	- 	3 	- 	231 	88 	522 	73
Atlanta Capitals 	47 	35 	10 	- 	2 	- 	269 	129 	824 	72
Sugar Land Imperials 	47 	22 	24 	- 	1 	- 	175 	191 	1196 	45
Louisiana Drillers 	47 	10 	35 	- 	2 	- 	102 	252 	1091 	22
Euless Jr. Stars 	47 	9 	36 	- 	2 	- 	106 	279 	806 	20
West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division 	West Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
Granite City Lumberjacks	47 	33 	11 	- 	3 	- 	196 	112 	752 	69
Twin City Steel 	47 	30 	13 	- 	4 	- 	219 	160 	660 	64
Breezy Point North Stars	47 	22 	17 	- 	8 	- 	142 	151 	918 	52
Alexandria Blizzard 	47 	22 	21 	- 	4 	- 	184 	166 	1139 	48
Minnesota Flying Aces 	47 	11 	34 	- 	2 	- 	124 	248 	773 	24
Frontier Division 	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division	Frontier Division
Team 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	SL 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	P
Yellowstone Quake 	47 	35 	9 	- 	3 	- 	225 	121 	899 	73
Great Falls Americans 	47 	34 	11 	- 	2 	- 	203 	93 	735 	70
Bozeman Icedogs 	47 	29 	11 	- 	7 	- 	191 	134 	911 	65
Gillette Wild 	47 	27 	20 	- 	0 	- 	176 	148 	684 	54
Helena Bighorns 	47 	26 	21 	- 	0 	- 	174 	155 	1136 	52
Billings Bulls 	47 	9 	32 	- 	6 	- 	121 	237 	686 	24
Glacier Nationals 	47 	2 	43 	- 	2 	- 	96 	323 	901 	6
==Silver Cup Playoffs==
===Format===
The top 4 teams in each division qualify. The division semifinal and final rounds are best of three. Semifinal winners advance to the division final. The six division winners and the two highest seeded (based on regular season record) division final losers (who will be seeded 7th and 8th) advance to the 2016 Silver Cup Championship Tournament being held in Chicago from March 30 to April 3, 2016, a 8 team two pool round robin with the top two teams in each pool single game semifinals and the semifinal winners advancing to the Silver championship game. Seedings will be based upon regular season records and ties will be broken using league tie breakers.
===East Division Semifinals===
*Metro Jets defeated Wooster Oilers 2 games to none (10-5, 12-1)
*West Michigan Wolves defeated Toledo Cherokee 2 games to none (4-1, 5-2)
===Central Division Semifinals===
*North Iowa Bulls defeated Rochester Ice Hawks 2 games to none (10-1, 12-3)
*La Crosse Freeze defeated Wisconsin Whalers 2 games to none (3-2, 5-1)
===Midwest Division Semifinals===
*St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Cincinnati Thunder 2 games to none (4-0, 6-5 (ot))
*Nashville Jr. Predators defeated Peoria Mustangs 2 games to none (4-1, 1-0)
===South Division Semifinals===
*Point Mallard Ducks defeated Sugar Land Imperials 2 games to 1 (2-3, 4-2, 10-1)
*Texas Jr. Brahmas defeated Atlanta Capitals 2 games to 1 (1-5, 3-2, 8-4)
===West Division Semifinals===
*Granite City Lumberjacks defeated Alexandria Blizzard 2 games to 1 (3-1, 1-3, 7-4)
*Twin City Steel vs Breezy Point North Stars 2 games to 1 (4-3, 3-4 (ot), 6-2)
===Frontier Division Semifinals===
*Yellowstone Quake defeated Gillette Wild 2 games to 1 ( 5-6 (ot), 6-4, 3-2 (ot))
*Great Falls Americans defeated Bozeman Icedogs 2 games to none (2-1 (2ot), 2-1)
===East Division Final===
*Metro Jets defeated West Michigan Wolves 2 games to none (3-1, 11-2)
===Central Division Final===
*North Iowa Bulls defeated La Crosse Freeze 2 games to none (9-2, 5-3)
===Midwest Division Final===
*St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Nashville Jr. Predators 2 games to 1 (5-4, 0-3, 3-1)
===South Division Final===
*Point Mallard Ducks defeated Texas Jr. Brahmas 2 games to none (3-1, 4-1)
===West Division Final===
*Twin City Steel defeated Granite City Lumberjacks 2 games to none (4-2, 3-2)
===Frontier Division Final===
*Great Falls Americans defeated Yellowstone Quake 2 games to none (4-1, 5-4)
==2016 Silver Cup==
===Silver Cup Round Robin===
====Group A====
*North Iowa Bulls defeated Yellowstone Quake 6-2
*Great Falls Americans defeated Point Mallard Ducks 2-1
*North Iowa defeated Great Falls Americans 4-1
*Point Mallard Ducks defeated Yellowstone Quake 3-0
*Point Mallard Ducks defeated North Iowa Bulls 4-3
*Great Falls Americans defeated Yellowstone Quake 8-1
====Group B====
*Metro Jets defeated Texas Jr. Brahmas 7-0
*St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Twin City Steel 4-3
*Texas Jr. Brahmas defeated St. Louis Jr. Blues 4-2
*Metro Jets defeated Twin City Steel 2-1
*Metro Jets defeated St. Louis Jr. Blues 7-3
*Twin City Steel defeatd Texas Jr. Brahmas 5-2
====Standings====
Group A 	GP	W	L	GF	GA	GD 	P
North Iowa Bulls 	3 	2	1	13	7 	6 	4
Great Falls Americans	3 	2	1	11	6 	5 	4
Point Mallard Ducks 	3 	2	1	8 	5 	3 	4
Yellowstone Quake 	3 	0	3	3 	17	-14	0
Group B 	GP	W	L	GF	GA	GD 	P
Metro Jets 	3 	3	0	16	4 	12 	6
Twin City Steel 	3 	1	2	9 	8 	1 	2
St. Louis Jr. Blues 	3 	1	2	9 	14	-5 	2
Texas Jr. Brahmas 	3 	1	2	6 	14	-8 	2
===Semifinals===
*North Iowa Bulls defeated Twin City Steel 4-3 (ot)
*Metro Jets defeated Great Falls Americans 5-4
===Final===
*North Iowa Bulls defeated Metro Jets 4-1
Category:2016 in hockey
Category:North American 3 Hockey League
Category:NA3HL seasons