2017-18 WSHL season

This is the 2017-18 Western States Hockey League season.  This is the league's 24th season.
==Membership Changes==
*On May 24, 2017 the Butte Cobras, who's ownership transferred to the Butte Amateur Hockey Association back in April acquired the North American 3 Hockey League franchise rights to the Glacier Nationals and withdrew from the WSHL to join the NA3HL. They ended up folding in September 2017 due to a lack of players
*The Tulsa Jr. Oilers ownership sold the team in the offseason. The new owners initially stated that the team would return, but they then decided to go dormant for the 2017-18 season.
*The former Seattle Ravens of the United States Premier 3 Hockey League join the league for the 2017-18 season as the Kent Ravens. The Ravens folded before ever playing a WSHL game. Around September 28, 2017 the Kent Ravens were removed from the league listing and were not mentioned on the league's weekly notes for the Northwest Division
*The Vancouver Rangers relocate to Bremerton, Washington and are renamed the West Sound Warriors for the 2017-18 season assuming the identity of the team that played in the United States Premier 3 Hockey League for the 2016-17 season.
*On July 27, 2017 the Idaho Jr. Steelheads announced they were changing their name to the Idaho IceCats.
*The Las Vegas Storm were removed from the league website September 29th after being mentioned as having their season opener pushed back to October 12th in a posting on the league website previewing the weekend of September 29-October 1.  The team's website through the WSHL was also deactivated.  The team folded due to lack of players and team management worked with the league on getting their players on other teams in the league upon suspending operations.
*The Arizona Hawks folded sometime in early October after traveling to Valencia for three games. They were not listed on the WSHL's Weekly notes for the Western Division for the weekend of October 6th.
*During the 2018 off season the Casper Coyotes and West Sound Warriors were both sold and renamed while staying in the same arenas.  The would be renamed the Casper Bobcats and West Sound Admirals respectively
*The Superior Roughriders and the Springfield Express both folded quietly during the off-season.
*The Idaho IceCats suspended operations on June 14th due to declining attendance,the resignation of head coach John Olver stepping down to pursue other interests in hockey, and ownership burn-out after nine years.
*The Colorado Jr. Eagles announced on June 6, 2018 that they would be moving to  Greeley, Colorado and would be renamed the Northern Colorado Eagles.
*The Steamboat Wranglers of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League joined the WSHL in May of 2018 as rumors of that league's demise get louder.  teh RMJHL would finally fold on May 22, 2018.
==Teams==
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Joined
Midwest 	 	 	 	
Midwest 	Dallas Snipers 	Euless, Texas 	Dr. Pepper StarCenter 	2011
Midwest 	El Paso Rhinos 	El Paso, Texas 	Sierra Providence Event Center	2006
Midwest 	Oklahoma City Blazers 	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 	Blazers Ice Centre 	2014
Midwest 	Springfield Express 	Springfield, Missouri 	Mediacom Ice Park 	2005
Midwest 	Wichita Jr. Thunder 	Wichita, Kansas 	Wichita Ice Center 	2012
Mountain 	 	 	 	
Mountain 	Casper Coyotes 	Casper, Wyoming 	Casper Ice Arena 	2014
Mountain 	Cheyenne Stampede 	Cheyenne, Wyoming 	Cheyenne Ice and Events Center	2004
Mountain 	Colorado Jr. Eagles 	Fort Collins, Colorado 	NoCo Ice Center 	2013
Mountain 	Ogden Mustangs 	Ogden, Utah 	The Ice Sheet 	2002
Mountain 	Superior RoughRiders 	Superior, Colorado 	Bouler Valley Ice at Superior 	2007
Mountain 	Utah Outliers 	West Valley City, Utah 	Acord Ice Center 	2011
Western 	 	 	 	
Western 	Fresno Monsters 	Fresno, California 	Gateway Ice Center 	2009
Western 	Long Beach Bombers 	Lakewood, California 	Lakewood Ice 	1994
Western 	Ontario Avalanche 	Ontario, California 	The Center Ice Arena 	2012
Western 	Phoenix Knights 	Gilbert, Arizona 	AZ Ice Gilbert 	1999
Western 	San Diego Sabers 	Escondido, California 	Iceoplex Escondido 	2001
Western 	Valencia Flyers 	Valencia, California 	Ice Station Valencia 	2001
Northwest	Bellingham Blazers 	Bellingham, Washington 	Bellingham Sportsplex 	2016
Northwest	Idaho IceCats 	McCall, Idaho 	Manchester Ice & Event Centre 	2009
Northwest	Seattle Totems 	Mountlake Terrace, Washington	Olympic View Arena 	2012
Northwest	Southern Oregon Spartans	Medford, Oregon 	The RRRink 	2012
Northwest	Tahoe Icemen 	South Lake Tahoe, California 	South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena 	2012
Northwest	West Sound Warriors 	Bremerton, Washington 	Bremerton Ice Center 	2015
Northwest	 	 	 	
Northwest	 	 	 	
Northwest	 	 	 	
Northwest	 	 	 	
===Removed from league after schedule written===
Team 	City 	Arena 	Joined
Arizona Hawks 	Peoria, Arizona 	AZ Ice Peoria 	2009
Kent Ravens 	Kent, Washington 	Kent Valley Ice Centre	2017
Las Vegas Storm	Las Vegas, Nevada	Las Vegas Ice Center 	2014
==Standings==
===Midwest Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
El Paso Rhinos 	51	49	1 	1 	405	63 	99
Oklahoma City Blazers	51	42	7 	7 	379	109	86
Springfield Express 	51	29	16	6 	334	194	64
Dallas Snipers 	51	13	38	0 	175	354	26
Wichita Jr. Thunder 	51	3 	48	0 	70 	546	6
===Mountain Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Utah Outliers 	51	39	11	1 	290	100	79
Ogden Mustangs 	51	38	12	1 	353	133	77
Colorado Jr. Eagles 	51	32	12	7 	235	124	71
Superior Roughriders	51	25	25	1 	213	211	51
Casper Coyotes 	51	16	35	0 	151	278	32
Cheyenne Stampede 	50	2 	48	0 	64 	463	4
===Western Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Long Beach Bombers	51	36	11	4 	263	158	76
Ontario Avalanche 	51	33	15	3 	227	177	69
Fresno Monsters 	51	33	17	1 	298	189	67
Valencia Flyers 	51	25	22	4 	242	215	54
Phoenix Knights 	51	23	26	2 	171	240	48
San Diego Sabers 	51	5 	42	4 	112	312	14
===Northwest Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Idaho IceCats 	51	44	4 	3 	306	103	91
Tahoe Icemen 	51	28	20	3 	241	226	59
Bellingham Blazers 	51	28	20	3 	228	221	59
West Sound Warriors 	51	21	29	1 	210	254	43
Seattle Totems 	51	13	32	6 	159	321	32
Southern Oregon Spartans	51	12	38	1 	147	253	25
==Thorne Cup Playoffs==
With the exception of the Midwest division where the top 4 teams qualified for the playoffs, six teams qualified for the playoffs in each division.
===Division Quarterfinals===
====Mountain Division====
*Colorado Jr. Eagles defeated Cheyenne Stampede 2 games to none
*Superior Roughriders defeated Casper Coyotes 2 games to none
====Western Division====
*Fresno Monsters defeated San Diego Sabers 2 games to none
*Phoenix Knights defeated Valencia Flyers 2 games to none
====Northwest Division====
*Bellingham Blazers defeated Southern Oregon Spartans 2 games to none
*West Sound Warriors defeated Seattle Totems 2 games to none
===Division Semifinals===
====Midwest Division====
*El Paso Rhinos defeated Dallas Snipers 2 games to none
*Oklahoma City Blazers defeated Springfield Express 2 games to 1
====Mountain Division====
*Utah Outliers defeated Superior Roughriders 2 games to 1
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Colorado Jr. Eagles 2 games to 1
====Western Division====
*Long Beach Bombers defeated Phoenix Knights 2 games to 1
*Fresno Monsters defeated Ontario Avalanche 2 games to 1
====Northwest Division====
*Idaho IceCats defeated West Sound Warriors 2 games to none
*Tahoe Icemen defeated Bellingham Blazers 2 games to none
===Division Finals===
====Midwest Division====
*El Paso Rhinos defeated Oklahoma City Blazers 2 games to none
====Mountain Division====
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Utah Outliers 2 games to none
====Western Division====
*Long Beach Bombers defeated Fresno Monsters 2 games to none
====Northwest Division====
*Idaho IceCats defeated Tahoe Icemen 2 games to none
==Thorne Cup==
The four division champions, a host team and the highest remaining seed in the division finals qualify for the Thorne Cup Finals; but based on the results division finals the Oklahoma City Blazers also qualify as Midwest Division runners-up or as the next highest seeded division final series loser.
===Qualifying Teams===
*Host/Midwest Divison Champions: El Paso Rhinos
*Mountain Division Champions: Ogden Mustangs
*Western Divsion Champions: Long Beach Bombers
*Northwest Division Champions: Idaho IceCats
*Highest seeded Division Final loser: Utah Outliers
*2nd Highest seeded Division Final loser: Oklahoma City Blazers
===Schedule/Results===
April 11
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Utah Outliers 4-2
*Idaho IceCats defeated Oklahoma City Blazers 4-2
*Long Beach Bombers defeated El Paso Rhinos 4-1
April 12
*Utah Outliers defeated Idaho IceCats 4-1
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Long Beach Bombers 4-2
*Oklahoma City Blazers defeated El Paso Rhinos 4-3
April 13
*Idaho IceCats defeated Long Beach Bombers 5-1
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Oklahoma City Blazers 5-1
*El Paso Rhinos defeated Utah Outliers 4-3
===Round Robin Standings===
====Flight "A"====
Team 	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts	Rank
Ogden Mustangs	3 	3	0	0 	13	5 	6 	1
Idaho IceCats 	3 	2	1	0 	10	7 	4 	2
El Paso Rhinos	3 	1	2	0 	8 	11	2 	3
====Flight "B"====
Team 	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts	Rank
Long Beach Bombers 	3 	1	2	0 	7 	10	2 	4
Oklahoma City Blazers	3 	1	2	0 	7 	12	2 	5
Utah Outliers 	3 	1	2	0 	9 	9 	2 	6
===Semifinals===
April 14
* Ogden Mustangs defeated Long Beach Bombers 10-3
* El Paso Rhinos defeated Idaho IceCats 4-0
===Final===
April 15
* El Paso Rhinos defeated Ogden Mustangs 3-2
Category:2018 in hockey
Category:WSHL seasons