The Coulee Region Chill was a Tier III junior ice hockey team that played at the Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The team played in the North American 3 Hockey League. The franchise was previously known as the Flint Jr. Generals based in Flint, Michigan, and the La Crosse Freeze. Due to the loss of the Chill's home arena, the team ceased operations and the franchise was sold to the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers organization in 2020.
History
Flint Junior Generals In 1998, Gale and Kelly Cronk, a father and son, purchased the team placing it in the Flint area. The team played at the Iceland Arena in Clayton Township.
Despite on-ice success and their age, the Jr. Generals attendance dwindled, causing long-time owners Kelly and Gale Cronk to pursue selling the team. In 2013, the Cronks declined to sell to a buyer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as they wanted the team to stay in Michigan and handed over operations to Fairland Management, managing company of the Michigan Warriors and Perani Arena. That season, the Generals were the NA3HL playoffs runner-up and won the East Division. With no Michigan-based interest, the Cronks sold the franchise to the owners of the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.
La Crosse Freeze/Coulee Region Chill With the league's approval of the sale to Michelle Bryant on May 6, 2014, the Flint Junior Generals became the La Crosse Freeze and relocated to the Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 2018, Bryant sold her Tier II North American Hockey League team, the Coulee Region Chill and it was relocated to become the Chippewa Steel. Bryant then renamed the Freeze to the Coulee Region Chill. In early April 2020, Bryant announced the team would not play during the 2020–21 season due to the city's decision to no longer operate Green Island Ice Arena.
On May 19, 2020, the NA3HL announced the purchase and relocation of the Chill to become the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers.
Season records Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA PIM Regular season finish PlayoffsFlint Jr. Generals 2006–07 45 31 14 0 0 62 180 129 1132 1st of 7, East3rd of 14, CSHL Won Hurster Cup Qualifier series, 2–0 vs. Michigan Ice Dogs1–2–0 in Hurster Cup Round Robin(W, 4–2 vs. Cherokee; L, 0–4 vs. Thunderbirds; L, 2–4 vs. Jr. Blues) 2007–08 48 34 14 0 0 68 209 133 1123 2nd of 13, CSHL 1–2–0 in Hurster Cup Round Robin(W, 3–2 vs. Steam; OTL, 2–3 vs. Mustangs; L, 2–8 vs. Cherokee) 2008–09 45 17 27 1 0 35 177 228 1359 9th of 12, CSHL Did not qualify 2009–10 48 16 31 1 0 33 188 235 1264 9th of 13, CSHL Did not qualify 2010–11 45 21 21 1 2 45 175 180 1034 9th of 12, NA3HL Did not qualify 2011–12 48 35 10 3 0 73 207 127 1526 1st of 4, East1st of 16, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Pittsburgh Jr. PenguinsWon Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks1–2–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin(W, 2–1 vs. Cherokee; L, 3–4 vs. Jr. Blues; L, 2–3 vs. Lumberjacks) 2012–13 48 27 17 2 2 58 168 141 1426 3rd of 6, East7th of 17, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Three Rivers Vengeance0–2–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin(L, 0–5 vs. Bulls; L, 2–5 vs. Lumberjacks) 2013–14 48 42 4 2 — 86 216 80 1080 1st of 6, East2nd of 21, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Metro JetsWon Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks2–1–0 in Silver Cup Round Robin(W, 3–1 vs. Jr. Blues; W, 5–2 vs. Jr. Stars; L, 3–7 vs. Bulls)Lost Championship game, 0–3 vs. North Iowa BullsLa Crosse Freeze 2014–15 47 28 14 5 — 61 160 155 913 3rd of 6, Central11th of 31, NA3HL Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Wisconsin Whalers 2015–16 47 32 15 0 — 64 200 125 1161 2nd of 5, Central13th of 34, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wisconsin WhalersLost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls 2016–17 47 23 22 2 — 48 199 169 1079 2nd of 5, Central27th of 48, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Wisconsin WhalersLost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. North Iowa Bulls 2017–18 47 34 12 1 0 69 240 124 847 2nd of 5, Central10th of 42, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wisconsin WhalersWon Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. North Iowa Bulls2–1–0 in Fraser Cup round-robin Pool B(L, 1–4 vs. Jets; OTW, 3–2 vs. Brahmas; OTW, 4–3 vs. Stars)Lost Fraser Cup Semifinal game, 0–5 vs. St. Louis Jr. Blues 2018–19 47 36 9 1 1 74 340 98 745 1st of 7, Central7th of 36, NA3HL Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Peoria MustangsLost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. St. Louis Jr. Blues 2019–20 47 29 18 0 0 58 192 159 640 3rd of 6, Central13th of 34, NA3HL Playoffs cancelled
References
External links La Crosse Freeze Official website