Minnesota Blue Ox

{{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox ice hockey team | team = Minnesota Blue Ox | bg_colour = blue | text_colour = yellow | logo = | logo_size = 125px | league = Roller Hockey International | conference = Eastern | division = | founded = 1995 | operated = 1995, 1999 | arena = Aldrich Arena (1995) Mariucci Arena (1999) | colours = | colors = Red, Black, White (1995) Blue, Yellow, Grey, Black, White (1999) {{infobox | child=yes | label1 = Murphy Cups | data1 = None | label2 = MLRH Championships | data2 = | label3 = Conference Championships | data3 = None | label4 = Division Championships | data4 = None }} | owner = | website =  | name1 = '''Minnesota Blue Ox''' (1995, 1999) | dates1 = | name2 = | dates2 = }} The '''Minnesota Blue Ox''' were a professional roller hockey team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that played in Roller Hockey International.

== History == Formed in the wake of the former Minnesota Arctic Blast, who played at Target Center in 1994, the Blue Ox joined RHI and were placed in the five-team Central Division (Buffalo Stampede, Chicago Cheetahs, Detroit Motor City Mustangs, St. Louis Vipers).<ref>Killeen, Mike. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-cloud-times-minnesota-blue-ox-replac/137525154/ "Laylin's wheels are on hold"], ''St. Cloud Times'', July 7, 1995. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The Arctic Blast released their players so they could play elsewhere, including the Minnesota Blue Ox, a team owned by the RHI to replace the Blast."</ref>

After a 13–11–0 in the 1995 regular season (second in the Central), Minnesota was the fourth-seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-minnesota-blue-ox-finish-19/137536229/ "Blue Ox beat St. Louis"], ''Minnesota Star Tribune'', August 11, 1995. Accessed December 28, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The Minnesota Blue Ox edged the St. Louis Vipers 5-4 Thursday night at Aldrich Arena to end their Roller Hockey International regular season with a 13-11 record."</ref> The Blue Ox were quickly eliminated in two games (best-of 3 series) by the fifth-seeded New Jersey Rockin' Rollers.<ref name=Playoffs1995/>

The Blue Ox finished the 1999 season with a record of 11–15–0, ranked third in the Eastern Division. The team's average home attendance of 304 was the lowest in the league.<ref>[https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/rhi19931999.html 1998-99 Roller Hockey International Standings], HockeyDB. Accessed December 28, 2023.</ref> The Buffalo Wings knocked off the Blue Ox in the first round of the playoffs.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-buffalo-wings-defeat-mi/137537092/ 'Wings make sure this won’t be year of the (Blue) Ox"], ''The Buffalo News'', August 19, 1999. Accessed December 28, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The Wings resisted that urge remaining composed in the face of an all-out assault by the Minnesota Blue Ox Buffalo’s cool approach paid off with an 8-3 win over Minnesota in the RHI playoff opener before a sparse crowd at the Arrowhead Pond"</ref>

== Season-by-season == {| class="wikitable" !Season !W !L !OTL !Pts !Result !Playoffs |- |1995 |13 |11 |0 |26 |2nd, Central Division |Eliminated in 1st Round by New Jersey Rockin' Rollers, swept in two games<ref name=Playoffs1995>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-record-rockin-rollers-sweep-blue-o/137524885/ "Rockin Rollers advance"], ''Daily Record'', August 17, 1995. Accessed December 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Defenseman Chad Biafore scored a pair of goals and dealt out five assists last night as the New Jersey Rockin Rollers overcame the Minnesota Blue Ox 8-5 to sweep the first-round Roller Hockey International playoff' series two-games-to-none."</ref> |- |1999 |11 |15 |0 |22 |3rd, Eastern Conference |Eliminated in 1st Round by Buffalo Wings |- |'''TOTALS''' |24 |26 |0 | | | |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==See also== *Minnesota Arctic Blast

Category:Minnesota Blue Ox Category:Roller Hockey International teams Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1995 Category:Sports in Minneapolis Category:1995 establishments in Minnesota Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1999 Category:1999 disestablishments in Minnesota