Skating into Ice(dogs) season

With cold nipping at Bozeman’s front doors, many are looking for fun indoor winter activities that  give a feeling for the winter ahead. Our local hockey team, the Bozeman Icedogs, is sure to provide you with some winter entertainment.

Established in 1996, the Bozeman Icedogs currently round off the Frontier Division of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The 1996 season was played entirely on the road since the Bozeman ice rink, Haynes Pavilion,  wasn’t fully built yet. At the time, David Cole coached the team. In 1997, the Bozeman Icedogs made their first appearance just outside Bozeman at the Valley Ice Garden.

Over the next couple of years, the Icedogs had to make a few coaching changes before finding John LaFontaine in 2001. LaFontaine is the brother of former NHL player Pat LaFontaine, known for his time with the New York Islanders, the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers. Within his first season of coaching, LaFontaine took the team to the playoffs. In the 2005-06 season, the Icedogs went through some major changes, moving from the Valley Ice Garden to Haynes Pavilion, where they currently play. LaFontaine led the team to their second Borne Cup and was then replaced by Kevin Stone. Over the next few years, the team went through a few more coaching changes, and after the 2012-13 season, the Icedogs were sold to Alec and Kate Nisbet. The team originated in the American West Hockey League (AWHL) but moved to the NA3HL and are currently playing under the leadership of coach Elliot Bates and general manager Matt Paine.

The 2020 Icedog hockey season kicked off on Friday, Oct. 2. While their first game started off a little rocky, the Icedogs played again on Saturday, Oct. 3, and grabbed their first win of the season against the Sheridan Hawks. For those interested in how their games are going, the Icedogs have a Twitter account where they post highlights from their past games. You can follow them @BozemanICEDOGS.

For anyone who is interested in attending future Icedog games, you can find the schedule and ticket prices on their website https://www.bozemanicedogs.com/. The Icedogs take on the Butte Cobras on Friday, Oct. 30 at the Butte Community Ice Center. Their next home game will be played on Saturday, Oct. 31 at the Haynes Pavilion against the Yellowstone Quake. Tickets are available at all home games and can be purchased upon arrival. Because tickets are only available for home games, away games can be watched on HockeyTV. This link is also provided on the Icedog website.