The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are a junior ice hockey organization 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 organization has reactivated and deactivated their Tier III level teams at various times, but plans to launch teams in the United States Premier Hockey League's Premier and Elite Divisions, non-USA Hockey sanctioned leagues that operate similar to the Tier III level. The organization also has several youth ice hockey teams in its development program.
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Pittston, Pennsylvania |
| League | United States Premier Hockey League |
| Founded | 2005 (organization) |
| Home arena | Revolution Ice Centre |
| Colors | Navy and white |
| General manager | Ray Welsh[1] |
| Franchise history | |
| AJHL/EHL franchise | |
| 2005–2010 | Binghamton Jr. Senators |
| 2010–2015 2017–2019 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
| NAHL franchise | |
| 2010–2012 | Dawson Creek Rage |
| 2015–2020 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
| 2020–present | Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks |
| USPHL franchise | |
| 2021–present | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
The players, ages 16–20, carry amateur status 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
editAJHL/EHL years (2010–2015)
editFrom 2005 to 2010, the Tier III franchise was operated by an organization in Binghamton, New York, as the Binghamton Jr. Senators at the Chenango Ice Rink in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL). In 2010, the franchise was transferred to an organization to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights that had been operating as a youth organization formed in 2005. After relocating, the organization also began 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. Along with Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston, Pennsylvania, the Knights also practiced 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 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 but came back to win the final two games. During the last game, the Cyclones had a 2–1 lead, but Knights forward Matt Cessna tied the game at 2–2 with 22 seconds remaining in the third period. With four minutes remaining in the first overtime, Cessna also scored the game-winner and was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoff championship series. The Knights' 2012–13 AJHL championship team featured team captain Jack Ceglarski (grandson of Len Ceglarski) and 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 years (2015–2020)
editOn 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. In 2019, the Tier III team left the EHL and joined the NAHL's Tier III league, the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL),[7] but were removed from the league prior to playing a game.
On May 11, 2020, the Knights announced they had sold their franchise rights to an organization in Danbury, Connecticut, and became the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks.[8]
USPHL (2021–present)
editIn February 2021, the Knights announced they would be reactivating their junior teams in the Premier and Elite Divisions of the United States Premier Hockey League, an independently sanctioned league, in the 2021–22 season.[1] During their first season in the USPHL, they announced they would be adding a tuition-free National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) team, the USPHL's equivalent of a Tier II league, for the 2022–23 season.[9]
Season-by-season records
edit| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Hockey League (Tier III) | ||||||||||
| 2013–14 | 44 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 47 | 121 | 111 | 4th, Central Div. 8th of 17, EHL |
Won Round 1, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Junior Flyers Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Northern Cyclones |
| 2014–15 | 44 | 28 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 155 | 126 | 2nd, Central Div. 6th of 19, EHL |
Won Round 1, 2–1 vs. Boston Bandits Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Northern Cyclones |
| 2017–18 | 50 | 24 | 25 | 1 | — | 49 | 170 | 180 | 3rd of 4, Mid-Atlantic Div. 5th of 8, South Conf. 9th of 16, EHL |
Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. New York Apple Core |
| 2018–19 | 44 | 27 | 13 | 4 | — | 58 | 167 | 116 | 2nd of 3, North Div. 3rd of 8, Mid-Atlantic Conf. 6th of 18, EHL |
Won First Round, 2–0 vs. New York Apple Core Won Second Round, 2–1 vs. New Jersey 87's 0–3–0 in Frozen Finals round-robin (L, 0–4 vs. Avalanche; L, 2–7 vs. Wizards; L, 1–6 vs. Little Flyers) |
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAHL (Tier II) | ||||||||||
| 2015–16 | 60 | 22 | 28 | 10 | 54 | 150 | 232 | 4th of 4, East Div. 20th of 22, NAHL |
Lost div. semi-finals, 0–3 vs. Aston Rebels | |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 65 | 193 | 190 | 4th of 5, East Div. 12th of 24, NAHL |
Lost div. semi-finals, 0–3 vs. Aston Rebels | |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 66 | 175 | 196 | 3rd 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 | |
| 2018–19 | 60 | 26 | 29 | 5 | 57 | 153 | 175 | 5th of 6, East Div. 18th of 24, NAHL |
did not qualify | |
| 2019–20 | 53 | 26 | 22 | 5 | 57 | 165 | 181 | 3rd of 7, East Div. 14th of 26, NAHL |
Season cancelled | |
| USPHL (Premier Div) | ||||||||||
| 2021–22 | 44 | 39 | 3 | 2 | 80 | 228 | 89 | 1st of 5, Atlantic Div. 1st of 64, Premier |
Won Div. Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Buffalo Stampede Won Div. Finals, 2-0 Utica Comets Pool A 3-0-0 1st (W, 3-2 Islanders Hockey Club)(W, 3-0 Florida Junior Blades)(W, 3-1 Metro Jets) Won quarterfinal Gm, 2-1 Minnesota Blue Ox Lost semifinal Gm, 1-8 Metro Jets | |
| USPHL (NCDC Div) | ||||||||||
| 2022–23 | 50 | 17 | 28 | 8 | 39 | 138 | 190 | 7th of 7, South Div. 13th of 14, NCDC |
Did not qualify for Post Season Play | |
| 2023–24 | 52 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 47 | 127 | 177 | 6th of 6, Atlantic Div. 15th of 18, NCDC |
Did not qualify for Post Season Play | |
Alumni
editThe 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:[10]
- Jerry D'Amigo - Toronto Maple Leafs 2009 NHL Entry Draft - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC Hockey)[11]
- Gianni Paolo – Actor most known for portraying Brayden Weston on the hit crime drama Power, and Power Book II: Ghost; Also known for MA, The Fosters, The Mick and Chance (TV series)[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights To Join USPHL Premier, Elite Divisions For 2021-22". USPHL. February 24, 2021.
- ^ "Revolution Ice Centre, Scranton and Pittston, PA". Archived from the original on 2010-03-06. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ "Home Page". Jrknightshockey.com.
- ^ "Knights Win AJHL Championship". Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
- ^ "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights join NAHL in 2015-16 season". NAHL.com. North American Hockey League. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "NA3HL announces new markets for the 2019-20 season". NA3HL. April 17, 2019.
- ^ "NAHL announces relocation of WBS Knights to Danbury, Connecticut". NAHL. May 11, 2020.
- ^ "WBS Knights To Join National Collegiate Development Conference In 2022-23". USPHL. February 3, 2022.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Jerry d'Amigo - 2009-10 - Men's Hockey". Rpiathletics.com.
- ^ "Gianni Paolo". IMDb.