The Pacific Hockey League was a low-level minor professional hockey league that existed for two seasons in 1977-78, and 1978-79. Its member teams from California, Arizona and Washington states, replaced the void left by defunct World Hockey Association franchises, with some teams sharing the names of their predecessors.
The league started play in December, 1977, with three new teams in Long Beach, San Francisco, and San Diego. The Phoenix Roadrunners left the Central Hockey League to join the new league.
The next season the Long Beach team moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles and an expansion team was started in Tucson. The Spokane Flyers joined almost intact from the Western International Hockey League (WIHL).
However the teams in San Francisco and Los Angeles withdrew on January 18, 1979, because of severe financial problems. The Tucson team was kept alive with help from the other three teams.
When the regular season ended the playoffs were cancelled. There was no ice in Tucson and the ice machine was broken in Spokane. There were only a few dates available in San Diego and Phoenix.
The league then folded. Spokane rejoined the WIHL. San Diego and Phoenix had hoped to join the Central Hockey League but it never happened.
Teams[]
| Team name | City | Arena | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Sharks/Rockets | Long Beach, California | Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center | 1977-1978 | fold |
| Phoenix Roadrunners | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 1977-1979 | fold |
| San Diego Mariners | San Diego, California | San Diego Sports Arena | 1977-1978 | renamed San Diego Hawks |
| San Francisco Shamrocks | San Francisco, California | Cow Palace | 1977-1979 | fold |
| Los Angeles Blades | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 1978-1979 | fold |
| San Diego Hawks | San Diego, California | San Diego Sports Arena | 1978-1979 | fold |
| Spokane Flyers | Spokane, Washington | Spokane Coliseum | 1978-1979 | join Western International Hockey League |
| Tucson Rustlers | Tucson, Arizona | Tucson Convention Center | 1978-1979 | fold |
Seasons[]
References[]
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