Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
City Pittston, Pennsylvania
League NAHL
Division East
Founded 2010 (NAHL franchise)
2005 (EHL franchise)
Operated 2010–present
Home arena Revolution Ice Centre
Colors Navy and White
         
Owner(s) Dr. Louis DeNaples Jr.
General manager Tom Kowal
Head coach Tom Kowal[1]
Franchise history
First franchise (AJHL/EHL)
2005–2010 Binghamton Jr. Senators
2010–2015 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Second franchise (NAHL)
2010–2012 Dawson Creek Rage
2015–present Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team from Pittston, Pennsylvania.[2] In 2015, the Knights' junior hockey organization purchased the dormant Dawson Creek Rage franchise in the Tier II North American Hockey League (NAHL) and placed their Tier III franchise in the Eastern Hockey League into dormancy.

The players, ages 16–20, carry amateur status under Junior A guidelines and hope to earn a spot on higher level of junior hockey teams in the United States and Canada, Canadian Major Junior teams, Collegiate teams, and eventually professional teams.

History

AJHL/EHL

Until 2010, the team played in Binghamton, New York as the Binghamton Jr. Senators at the Chenango Ice Rink in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL). After relocating, the organization would also field a team at the Junior B level in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League as well as youth hockey select teams at the Midget U18, Midget 16U, Bantam, Peewee, and Squirt and Mite levels. The Knights have taken their name from the youth organization which was formed in 2005. Along with Revolution Ice Centre, the Knights also practice at Revolution Training Centre in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. The training center has two skating surfaces: one synthetic ice and the other is an 85 x 45 ice surface.[3]

The Knights won the AJHL Championship during the 2012–13 season. The Knights came out victorious in the best of three series against the Northern Cyclones and earned the AJHL President's Cup. The Knights lost the first game of the series 0-2 against the Cyclones, however, the Knights bounced back from their first loss of the playoffs with a lopsided 9-2 win. During the last game, the Cyclones had a 2-1 lead and it looked like they would hoist the President's Cup, but Knights forward Matt Cessna tied the game at 2-2 with just 22 seconds remaining in the third period. Then, with just over four minutes remaining in the first overtime, Matt Cessna scored the game-winner. For his in-game heroics, Cessna was named the Most Valuable Player of the Playoff Championship Series. The Knights 2012–13 AJHL Championship Team contained some well-known last names in the hockey world, including team captain Jack Ceglarski (Grandson of Len Ceglarski) and the defenceman Oscar Nyquist (Brother of Gustav Nyquist).[4][5]

In 2013, Tier III junior hockey leagues underwent a large reorganization and the AJHL re-branded as the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

NAHL

On May 1, 2015, it was announced that the Knights had purchased the dormant Dawson Creek Rage franchise in the North American Hockey League and began play as a Tier II team in the 2015–16 NAHL season[6] while also dropping their Tier III teams. The organization would re-add Tier III teams in the EHL in 2017.

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
Eastern Hockey League (Tier III)
2013–1444191681471211114th, Central Div.
8th of 17, EHL		Won Round 1, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Junior Flyers
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Northern Cyclones
2014–1544281420581551262nd, Central Div.
6th of 19, EHL		Won Round 1, 2–1 vs. Boston Bandits
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Northern Cyclones
2017–185024251—491701803rd of, Mid-Atlantic Div.
5th of 8, South Conf.
9th of 16, EHL		Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. New York Apple Core
SeasonGPWLOTLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
NAHL (Tier II)
2015–1660222810541502324th of 4, East Div.
20th of 22, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Aston Rebels
2016–176030255651931904th of 5, East Div.
12th of 24, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Aston Rebels
2017–186030246661751963rd of 5, East Div.
12th of 23, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. New Jersey Titans
Won Div. Finals, 3–0 vs. Philadelphia Rebels
Lost Robertson Cup Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs

Alumni

The Knights/Jr. Senators franchise has produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA college and professional programs, including:[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton name Kowal as new head coach". NAHL. August 14, 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.skatenepa.com/
  3. ↑ http://www.jrknightshockey.com/
  4. ↑ http://wbsknights.com/feature/knights-win-ajhl-championship/
  5. ↑ http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=4518&year0=2013&status=stats
  6. ↑ "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights join NAHL in 2015-16 season". NAHL.com. North American Hockey League. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ http://www.wbsknights.com/home/pages/alumni.php?last=a
  8. ↑ http://www.rpiathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3025
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