1988-89 Regular Season Opponent Unknown After a 1-year absence, professional hockey returned to Indianapolis with the arrival of the IHL's Indianapolis Ice. The Ice were an independent franchise that received players from multiple teams (Hartford, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Calgary, Islanders) and played their home games at the 8,332-seat Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, former home of the CHL/IHL Checkers from 1979-85. The Ice were owned by businessman Horn Chen. The team's colors were silver, black, and white, and had uniforms similar to the Los Angeles Kings. The Ice were put together late in the offseason, as Chen purchased the rights to the mothballed Indianapolis Checkers franchise in late June of 1988. Chen hired former Indiana Pacers VP of Marketing Ray Compton as GM. Compton hired former NHL defenseman/enforcer Archie Henderson as the team's first Head Coach. Henderson was no stranger to the IHL, having played the previous season with the Saginaw Hawks
1949-50 Regular Season: Hornets vs. Indianapolis Capitols Before the Penguins joined the NHL in 1967, Pittsburgh was home to numerous minor professional hockey teams, dating back to 1922. The Steel City even had an NHL franchise from 1925-30, the Pirates, who relocated to Philadelphia in the depths of the Great Depression before folding in 1931. The Pittsburgh Hornets were a long-time member of the American Hockey League, playing in that league from 1936-56 at Duquesne Gardens, then resuming play from 1961-67 when the Pittsburgh Civic Arena was completed. During the first run, the Hornets were the top farm club of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 1949-50 Pittsburgh Hornets finished in fourth place in the Western Division with a 29-26-15 record. Their 73 points were just three back of the St. Louis Flyers for the last playoff spot. Head Coach Bob Davidson was fired after a 13-14-8 start to the season, replaced by Bad Bastien, the former Leafs goaltending prospect who was f