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Hockey in Montana

Hockey History | Montana Hockey

Hockey History

The national sport of Canada has also built a loyal following in America over the years. Perhaps the first big growth spurt can be traced to 1960, when the United States won its first Olympic Gold Medal in Squaw Valley, California. The second boom, of course, came in 1980, when the U.S. team created the "Miracle on Ice" at Lake Placid en route to beating the Soviet team for Gold. Even though women's hockey only became an Olympic sport in 1998, it's been an organized sport nearly as long as men's hockey. Women were playing in leagues as early as 1916.

Today, Olympic dreams (and NHL dreams) fuel the fantasies of many youngsters across the U.S., and the ranks of amateur hockey give them the opportunity to hone their skills.

Montana Ice Hockey

All across Montana, hockey is a favorite winter sport. The Montana Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) sanctions programs in Billings, Butte, Bozeman, Glasgow, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Miles City, Missoula, Helena and Whitefish. Each of these cities offer hockey for boys and girls according to age, much like little league baseball. Divisions include Tykes, Mites, Squirts, PeeWee, Bantam, Midget and Girls.

In addition, Montana is home to three teams in the Junior "A" North American Hockey League: the Billings Bulls, the Bozeman Ice Dogs, and the Helena Bighorns. Teams are well-supported in their communities, with some of the highest attendance among Junior "A" clubs in the nation. In addition, Montana teams have represented their league at the National Junior "A" Championship Tournament the past six years. (The city of Billings hosted those championships in 1998.) If you're looking for a way to chase off evening boredom, the puck stops here; catch a hockey game.

For more Montana hockey action, check out the North American Hockey League website.