Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

The Northeastern Scholastic Hockey League finished the 2003-2004 season as the 8th League in Eastern Pennsylvania and is now in its 8th year of existance. NEPASHL is the local high school ice hockey league with students from schools in Columbia, Lackwanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Sullivan, Wayne and Wyoming County participating in the league. The following teams are current members. NORTHERN DIVISION Abington Comets Paupack Bucks Scranton Prep Cavaliers St. Gregory’s Highlanders CENTRAL DIVISION Crestwood Comets Pittston Area Patriots Pocono Mountain Cardinals Wyoming Area Warriors SOUTHERN DIVISION Back Mountain/Tunkhannock Tigers Valley West Spartans Wilkes Barre Area Wolfpack Wyoming Seminary Blue Knights The Season The teams within the league play a schedule of 14 games, two against division opponents and one against all other teams. Several of these organizations also field Junior Varsity squads. In all over 300 student/athletes are involved in this league. There is a mid season Christmas Tournament sponsored by the Wachovia Arena that will be played between Christmas and New Years, at the arena where several teams participate. League games are typically played Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at the Ice Box in Pittston. However with the scheduled opening of the Ice Box North in mid December, several contests will take place there as well. A complete schedule is due out shortly. The season culminates with the playoffs in late February, early March. For the past three years the United States Army has sponsored the tournament. The schools compete annually for the Army Cup for the League Championship and the past winners are as follows: Past Winners of the League Championship /Army Cup are: 2000 Back Mountain 2001 Crestwood 2002 Crestwood 2003 Tunkhannock 2004 Abington

With the season upon us ....Pa Hockey will once again be providing wire to wire coverage with Standings, Rankings, Previews, Game Summaries, Pictures and much more. Pa Hockey is the most popular Interscholastic Hockey Website because 'We are there !' and we don't just provide scores ...we give you the story ....Only on Pa Hockey ! Coming over the next month, you will start to pick up some of the ole' reliable Pa Hockey favorites as we cover Pre-Season tournaments, provide previews and a couple Game Summaries just to wet the appetite ! The annual Pa Hockey Western Pa Coaches Poll is out and Pa Hockey History will be updated with the all-time records of each Varsity competing in the 2004-2005 season. The Pa Hockey Master Schedule will take on a 'New Look' in 2004-2005, with the schedules and results of each club located in 'Team Websites' section and our 'Midnight Madness' score and highlight update to give you up to the minute news on all your favorite teams and even your not-so favorite teams. So stay tuned, fasten your seatbelts and remember.... we are always only an e-mail or a cell phone call away !

R. J. Umberger, the free-agent center from Plum, has accepted a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. The two-year deal calls for a $1.185 million salary if Umberger plays in the NHL and a reduced salary if he is in the minors. Umberger was Vancouver's first-round draft choice in 2002, but the Canucks traded his rights to the New York Rangers March 9. When New York failed to sign him by June 1, Umberger became a free agent. Toronto made an offer similar to Philadelphia's and Umberger said it was a "very tough decision" to pick between the Flyers and Maple Leafs. "I was really impressed with both organizations," he said. "It could have gone either way." The Penguins - Umberger was a fan of the franchise while growing up - apparently also got real consideration, even though their contract prosposal is believed to have been worth only about $600,000 per season. "I was serious about the Penguins," Umberger said. "Right now, it just wasn't best fit for me." Umberger, a center, left Ohio State after his junior year and did not play during the 2003-04 season after failing to work out a contract with the Canucks or Rangers, but clearly does not regret the course he chose. "I feel like the whole year was worth it," he said. Umberger plans to go to Philadelphia next month to begin working out. And preparing for his first game action in well over a year. "I'll have to refresh my memory," he said. "It will be fun, to say the least."

January 2005 Meadville Bulldog Invitational Results January 14-16 2005 Pool Play Toledo St Francis 4 Meadville 1 St Ignatius 9 Cathedral Prep 0 Mt Lebanon 7 Thomas Jefferson 2 LaSalle 3 Central Catholic 1 St Ignatius 5 Thomas Jefferson 2 Mt Lebanon 6 Cathedral Prep 0 Central Catholic 1 Meadville 1 LaSalle 7 Toledo St Francis 1 Cathedral Prep 3 Thomas Jefferson 2 Mt Lebanon 3 St Ignatius 2 Toledo St Francis 6 Central Catholic 1 LaSalle 1 Meadville 0 Semi-Finals LaSalle 4 St Ignatius 1 Mt Lebanon 4 Toledo St Francis 1 Champiosnhip LaSalle 3 Mt Lebanon 2 OT FOR A COMPLETE WRAP-UP OF THE BULLDOG INVITIAIONAL..PLEASE VISIT GAME SUMMARIES

At the recently held American Hockey Coaches Association meeting in Naples Florida, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) ice hockey head coach Sam Kelly was named the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) Division II Coach of the Year for the 03-04 season. The American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) is the national coaches organization, which best represents, and promotes the development of the sport of ice hockey in America. It’s primary membership is from the Collegiate programs in the country, however membership is open to all those who have concern and interest in the success of the game. The AHCA recognizes at the yearly conference contributions to the sport in a number of awards and recognizes the Coach of the Year at the NCAA I and III and ACHA I and II collegiate levels. Sam Kelly from IUP is the ACHA DII award winner. Coach Kelly is the Head Coach/General Manager of the Indiana University of Pa. ACHA national program. The IUP program currently has teams competing at the ACHA DII and DIII level. His responsibility includes the overall operation and instruction of both teams. In 15 years under Kelly the DII team has an overall record of 237-160-33 while Kelly’s DIII team boasts a 5-year record of 82-31-8 for a combined record at IUP of 319-191-41. This record includes 14 league playoffs, 9 regular season championships, 10 playoff championship appearances, 3 playoff championships, and 6 ACHA National Championship appearances. In 03-04 both the DII and DIII team maintained a number one ranking in their ACHA respective regions throughout the entire season. The DII team finished with a record of 25-10-5, a regular season UHL championship, and a 9th place finish in the DII National Championships held in Washington D.C. The DIII team finished with a 22-2-2 record, a CHE regular season and playoff championship and a 4th place finish in the DIII National Championship held in Phoenix Arizona. 03-04 ended as the most successful season in IUP Hockey history.