| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | |
 | |
| City: | Pittston, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Founded: | 2005 (EHL franchise) 2010 (NAHL franchise) 2022 (USPHL) |
| Operated: | 2010-present |
| Home Arena: | Revolution Ice Centre |
| Colors: | Navy, Gray, and White
|
| Owner(s): | Dr. Louis DeNaples Jr. |
| Franchise history | |
| : | First franchise (AJHL/EHL/NA3HL) |
| 2005–2010: | Binghamton Jr. Senators |
| 2010–2015, 2016-2019: | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
| 2015-present: | Binghamton Jr. Senators |
| : | Second franchise (NAHL) |
| 2010–2012: | Dawson Creek Rage |
| 2015–2020: | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
| 2020-present: | Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks |
| : | Third franchise USPHL |
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are an USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Jr. A ice hockey team from Pittston, Pennsylvania.[1] Starting in the 2015–16 season they will play in the North Division of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) after purchasing the dormant Dawson Creek Rage franchise, moving up from the Central Division of the Tier III Eastern Hockey League (formerly the Atlantic Junior Hockey League until 2013).
The players, ages 16–20, carry amateur status under Junior A guidelines and hope to earn a spot on higher levels of junior hockey in the United States and Canada, Canadian Major Junior, Collegiate, and eventually professional teams.
History[]
AtJHL/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 (AtJHL). After relocating, the organization would also field a team at the Jr. 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, PA. The training center has two skating surfaces: one synthetic ice and the other is an 85 x 45 ice surface.[2]
The Knights won the AtJHL Championship during the 2012–13 season. The Knights came out victorious in the best of three series against the Northern Cyclones and earned the AtJHL 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 AtJHL 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).[3][4]
NAHL[]
- See also: Dawson Creek Rage
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 will begin play as a Tier II team in the 2015–16 NAHL season.[5]
On May 11, 2020 the NAHL announced the relocation of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights to Danbury, Connecticut where they would be renamed the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks.[6]
NA3AHL/EHL[]
The organization would start back up a tier-III team for the 2016-17 season with a team placed in the North American 3 Atlantic Hockey League. This team would move along with most of the league's membership to the Eastern Hockey League for the 2017-18 season. The team would transfer to the NA3HL for the 2019-20 season but the team would fold due to a lack of players in mid-September.[7]
USPHL[]
On February 3, 2022 the USPHL announced the addition of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights to the NCDC for the 2022-23 season. The team will be based out of the Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston, Pennsylvania with a secondary home of in Binghamton, New York.[8]
Season-by-season records[]
Eastern Hockey League[]
| 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 |
North American Hockey League[]
Dawson Creek Rage[]
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 58 | 24 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 160 | 209 | 5th of 6, West | Do not qualify |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 12 | 44 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 139 | 265 | 6th of 6, West | Do not qualify |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights[]
| Season | GP | W | L | OL | SL | 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. Semifinals, 0-3 vs. Aston Rebels |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 4 | 65 | 201 | 193 | 4th of 5, East Div. T-12th of 24, NAHL |
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-3 vs. Aston Rebels |
| 2017-18 | 60 | 30 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 66 | 175 | 196 | 3rd of 5, East Div. 12th of 23, NAHL |
Won Div. Semifinals, 3-2 vs New Jersey Titans Won Div. Final, 3-0 vs Philadelphia Rebels L Robertson Cup Semifinals, 0-2 vs Shreveport Mudbugs |
| 2018-19 | 60 | 26 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 57 | 153 | 175 | 5th of 6, East Div. T-17th of 24 |
Did not qualify |
| 2019-20 | 53 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 57 | 165 | 181 | 3rd of 7, East Div. | Playoffs cancelled |
| Season | GP | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA3AHL (Tier III) | ||||||||||
| 2016–17 | 36 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 64 | 289 | 100 | 2nd of 7 | Lost, Final | |
| Eastern Hockey League (Tier III) | ||||||||||
| 2017-18 | 50 | 24 | 25 | 1 | 49 | 170 | 180 | 3rd Mid-Atlantic | L, Conf Quarterfinals 1-2 (New York Applecore) | |
| 2018-19 | 44 | 27 | 13 | 4 | 58 | 167 | 116 | 3rd Central | W, Conf Quarterfinals 2-0 (New York Applecore) W, Conf Semifinals 2g-1 (New Jersey 87's) Eliminated in Semifinal Round Robin | |
USPHL[]
| Season | GP | W | L | OL | SL | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 USPHL Elite | 44 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 192 | 97 | 71 | 1st Mid-Atlantic | Lost Semifinal |
| 2021-22 USPHL Premier | 44 | 39 | 3 | 2 | - | 228 | 89 | 80 | 1st Atlantic East | W, DSF 2-0 (Buffalo Jr. Stampede) Finish in 1st Pool A W, QF 2-1 (ot) (Minnesota Blue Ox) L, SF 1-8 (Metro Jets) |
| 2022-23 USPHL Elite | 44 | 39 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 260 | 105 | 80 | 1st Mid-Atlantic | Lost Championship game |
| 2022-23 USPHL Premier | 44 | 35 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 217 | 92 | 72 | 2nd Mid-Atlantic | W, DQF 2-0 (Elmira Jr. Enforcers) W, 2-1 (Utica Jr. Comets) W, 5-1 eighthfinal (Tampa Bay Juniors) L, QF 1-2 (Northern Cyclones) |
| 2022-23 NCDC | 50 | 17 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 138 | 190 | 39 | 7th South | Did not qualify |
| 2023-24 NCDC | 52 | 20 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 147 | 177 | 47 | 6th Altantic | Did not qualify |
| 2023-24 Premier | 44 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 209 | 110 | 67 | 2nd Atlatnic | Lost National eighthfinals |
| 2023-24 USPHL Elite | 44 | 28 | 15 | 0 | 165 | 138 | 57 | 1st Atlantic | Lost Quarterfinals |
Alumni[]
The Junior Senators have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA college and professional programs, including:[9]
- Jerry D'amigo Toronto Maple Leafs 2009 NHL Entry Draft - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC Hockey)[10]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ http://www.skatenepa.com/
- ↑ http://www.jrknightshockey.com/
- ↑ http://wbsknights.com/feature/knights-win-ajhl-championship/
- ↑ http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=4518&year0=2013&status=stats
- ↑ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights join NAHL in 2015-16 season. NAHL.com. North American Hockey League (May 1, 2015). Retrieved on May 5, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=29523
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-na3hl-has-two-fold/
- ↑ https://www.usphl.com/news_article/show/1207253
- ↑ http://www.wbsknights.com/home/pages/alumni.php?last=a
- ↑ http://www.rpiathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3025
External links[]
| North American Hockey League (2021-22) | |
|---|---|
| Central Division | Aberdeen Wings • Austin Bruins • Bismarck Bobcats • Minnesota Wilderness • Minot Minotauros • North Iowa Bulls • St. Cloud Norsemen |
| East Division | Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks • Jamestown Rebels • Johnstown Tomahawks • Maine Nordiques • Maryland Black Bears • New Jersey Junior Titans • Northeast Generals |
| Midwest Division | Anchorage Wolverines (2021-22) • Chippewa Steel • Fairbanks Ice Dogs • Janesville Jets • Kenai River Brown Bears • Minnesota Magicians • Springfield Jr. Blues |
| South Division | Amarillo Wranglers • Corpus Christi Ice Rays • El Paso Rhinos (2021-22) • Lone Star Brahmas • New Mexico Ice Wolves • Odessa Jackalopes • Shreveport Mudbugs • Wichita Falls Wildcats |
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