Pittsburgh Vengeance
CityHarmar Township, Pennsylvania
LeagueUSPHL Premier
ConferenceGreat Lakes
Founded1997 (1997)
Home arenaAlpha Ice Complex
ColorsBlack, red, silver, white
       
Owner(s)Glen Miske
General managerDave Dorsey
Head coachDave Dorsey
Franchise history
1997–2012Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins
2012–2013Three Rivers Vengeance
2013–presentPittsburgh Vengeance

The Pittsburgh Vengeance are a non-sanctioned junior ice hockey team and are members of the Great Lakes Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League's Premier Division. The team plays at the Alpha Ice Complex in Harmar Township, Pennsylvania, a township outside of Pittsburgh. In addition to the junior team, the organization also fields teams at the former Tier III Junior B/C levels and various youth levels of play. From 1997 until 2012, the team was known as the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins.

History

The Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins entered the Metro Junior A Hockey League in 1997. After a good inaugural season including a playoff run, under head coach John Vivian, the league merged with the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Penguins opted not to join and entered the more local Empire Junior B Hockey League (EmJHL). In 2006, the Penguins fielded a second Junior B team in the Continental Hockey Association's Premier Junior B Division. In 2007, the Penguins created a third and fourth entry for the CHA's Major and Minor Junior C leagues. In 2009 the organization added a Tier III Junior A team that began play in Fall 2009 in the Central States Hockey League (CSHL). In 2010, the CSHL became the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) after the Tier II North American Hockey League took control of the CSHL. In 2012, the team was rebranded the Three Rivers Vengeance for one season before it changed to the Pittsburgh Vengeance in 2013. The Vengeance left the NA3HL in 2018 for the Premier Division of the United States Premier Hockey League.[1]

The Jr. Penguins fielded Junior B teams in CHA Premier (later called Eastern States Hockey League and the Empire Junior B Hockey League, and a Junior C team in the CHA Selects. In 2006, USA Hockey dropped the Junior C designation and those teams became Tier III Junior B. In 2011, USA Hockey dropped both the Junior A and B designations and called all the leagues as just Tier III, but since many organizations still fielded teams in the former lower leagues most were still referred to as their former designation.

Season-by-season records

Flagship team's statistics.

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Regular Season Finish Playoffs
1997–98 50 21 26 3 — 45 168 240 9th Metro A Lost in 1st round to Quinte Hawks
1998–99 28 19 9 0 — 38 156 112 3rd EmJHL 3rd in Championship round-robin
(W, 5–2 vs. Jr. Stars; W, 8–4 vs. Blades; L, 4–0 vs. Jr. Americans)
1999–00 28 19 7 2 — 40 140 83 3rd EmJHL 3rd in Championship round-robin
(L, 4–7 vs. Jr. Americans; W, 7–4 vs. Maple Leafs; L, 2–4 vs. Blades)
2000–01 30 21 8 1 — 43 193 98 2nd EmJHL 1st in Championship round-robin
(W, 5–2 vs. Jr. Stars; L, 2–6 vs. Jr. Americans; W, 17–2 vs. Tornadoes)
Lost Final game, 1–2 vs. Mass Maple Leafs
2001–02 36 20 14 2 — 42 204 126 6th EmJHL Lost Second Round game vs. Binghamton Tornadoes
2002–03 32 20 9 3 — 43 195 101 2nd of 8, West
4th of 12, EmJHL		 4th in Championship round-robin
(L, 2–5 vs. Jr. Stars; L, 0–6 vs. Apple Core; L, 5–6 vs. Tornadoes)
2003–04 38 30 6 2 — 62 204 107 2nd of 8, West
2nd of 12, EmJHL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Connecticut Lazers
2004–05 44 29 12 3 — 61 211 129 3rd of 8, West
5th of 16, EmJHL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Rochester Jr. Americans
2005–06 42 22 16 3 1 48 159 132 2nd of 4, West
8th of 19, EmJHL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Rochester Jr. Americans
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Syracuse Jr. Stars
2006–07 38 32 6 0 0 64 195 86 1st of 5, West
4th of 21, EmJHL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Tri-State Selects
Won Div. Finals, 2-1 vs. Syracuse Jr. Stars
4th in Championship round-robin
(L, 2–3 vs. Jr. Monarchs; L, 3–6 vs. Apple Core; L, 1–3 vs. Jr. Bruins)
2007–08 44 32 9 3 0 67 194 110 2nd of 4, West
4th of 19 EmJHL		 Won Conf. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Jersey Wildcats
4th in Championship round-robin
(L, 2–4 vs. Jr. Monarchs; L, 3–7 vs. Jr. Bruins; L, 1–2 vs. Jr. Stars)
2008–09 44 35 6 1 2 73 190 89 1st of 5, West
2nd of 21, EmJHL		 Lost in Final Four
(L, 3–6 vs. Jr. Bruins; L, 1–2 vs. Jr. Monarchs)
2009–10 48 34 12 2 0 70 235 109 3rd of 13, CSHL Won Round 1, 2–0 vs. Toledo Cherokee
3rd in Hurster Cup round-robin
(T, 2–2 vs. Thunderbirds; T, 0–0 vs. Jr. Lumberjacks; L, 2–5 vs. Jr. Blues)
2010–11 45 29 16 — 0 58 237 152 5th of 12, NA3HL Lost Round 1, 0–2 vs. Chicago Hitmen
2011–12 48 26 19 — 3 55 188 165 4th of 4, East
8th of 16, NA3HL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Flint Jr. Generals
2012–13 48 28 18 — 2 58 178 162 2nd of 6, East
6th of 17, NA3HL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Flint Jr. Generals
2013–14 48 25 15 — 8 58 156 130 3rd of 6, East
10th of 21, NA3HL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
2014–15 47 30 11 — 6 66 169 117 2nd of 6, East
8th of 31, NA3HL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Toledo Cherokee
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Metro Jets
2015–16 47 19 25 — 3 41 132 157 5th of 6, East
23rd of 34, NA3HL		 Did not qualify
2016–17 47 28 16 — 3 59 159 120 2nd of 6, East
14th of 48, NA3HL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Toledo Cherokee
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Metro Jets
2017–18 47 34 12 — 1 69 172 108 2nd of 6, East
9th of 42, NA3HL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Lansing Wolves
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Metro Jets
2018–19 44 26 12 — 6 58 158 109 2nd of 6, Great Lakes
16th of 52, USPHL Premier		 Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Metro Jets Development Program
1–2–0 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool B
(W, 4–2 vs. Eels; L, 1–5 vs. Whalers; L, 1–2 vs. Stars)
2019–20 44 33 7 — 3 69 199 84 2nd of 6, Great Lakes
6th of 52, USPHL Premier		 Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Toledo Cherokee
1–0–0 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool B
(W, 5–1 vs. Pics; vs. Havoc; vs. Rush)
Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 43 30 11 — 2 62 155 100 3rd of 7, Great Lakes
12th of 62, USPHL Premier		 Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Wooster Oilers
Lost Div. Nationals qualifiers, 0–2 vs. Toledo Cherokee
2021–22 44 21 20 — 3 45 168 175 4th of 7, Great Lakes
37th of 64, USPHL Premier		 Won Div. Semifinal, 2–0 vs. Cincinnati Jr Cyclones
Lost Div. Final qualifier, 0–2 vs. Metro Jets

References

  1. ^ "USPHL ANNOUNCES PREMIER DIVISION EXPANSION FOR THE 2018 – 2019 SEASON WITH SIX NEW TEAMS IN THE GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE". United States Premier Hockey League. April 19, 2018.

External links

Ontario Hockey Association Junior A Hockey
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