Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights were 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.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
CityPittston, Pennsylvania
LeagueNAHL
DivisionEast
Founded2010 (NAHL franchise)
2005 (NA3HL franchise)
Operated2010–present
Home arenaRevolution Ice Centre
ColorsNavy and White
   
Owner(s)Dr. Louis DeNaples Jr.
General managerTom Kowal
Head coachTom Kowal[1]
Franchise history
Tier III franchise
2005–2010Binghamton Jr. Senators
2010–2015
2017–2019		Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Tier II franchise
2010–2012Dawson Creek Rage
2015–2019Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
2020–presentDanbury Jr. Hat Tricks

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
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 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 their relocation to Danbury, Connecticut.[8]

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 4, Mid-Atlantic Div.
5th of 8, South Conf.
9th of 16, EHL		Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. New York Apple Core
2018–194427134—581671162nd 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)
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
2018–196026295571531755th of 6, East Div.
18th of 24, NAHL		Did not qualify
2019–205326225571651813rd of 7, East Div.
14th of 26, NAHL		Season cancelled

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:[9]

See also

References
  1. "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton name Kowal as new head coach". NAHL. August 14, 2015.
  2. http://www.skatenepa.com/
  3. "Home Page".
  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. "NA3HL announces new markets for the 2019-20 season". NA3HL. April 17, 2019.
  8. "NAHL announces relocation of WBS Knights to Danbury, Connecticut". NAHL. May 11, 2020.
  9. http://www.wbsknights.com/home/pages/alumni.php?last=a
  10. "Jerry d'Amigo - 2009-10 - Men's Hockey".
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