New York Apple Core
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The New York Apple Core are a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team from Brewster, New York, playing in the Eastern Hockey League. The team plays home games at the Brewster Ice Arena. The Apple Core organization is based out of Long Beach, New York, on Long Island, however, their top level junior team has played in Brewster since the start of the 2011–12 season.
The Apple Core organization also fields a Tier III team in the Eastern Hockey League-Premier Division, as well as youth hockey select teams at the Bantam, Peewee, and Squirt and other various levels.
History
The franchise was a full-time member of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) from 1998 to 2013. The team was originally formed in 1993 in the Junior B Metro League. In 1997–98, they played a handful of games against the EJHL, and became a full-time member a year later. In 2003, the Apple Core won the Triple Crown EJHL Championship, finishing as regular season and post-season champions. In 2013, the various Tier III junior hockey leagues in the north east went through a re-organization, which included the Apple Core joining the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. The Atlantic Junior Hockey League then re-branded itself as the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) after the dissolution of the former EJHL.
Since joining the EJHL in 1998, the organization has also fielded multiple Tier III Junior B/C teams in the Empire Junior Hockey League, Eastern States Hockey League, and Metropolitan Junior Hockey League, and the United States Premier Hockey League - Empire Division. In 2016, their developmental team (formerly known as Tier III Junior B/C) moved from the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League to the EHL's Elite Division (and then called Premier Division since 2017) and continues to play home games in Long Beach, New York.
Season-by-season records
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Regular season finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 50 | 38 | 7 | 5 | — | 81 | 285 | 185 | 3rd Metro A | |
| 1997–98 | No information | |||||||||
| Eastern Junior Hockey League | ||||||||||
| 1998–99 | 37 | 25 | 8 | 4 | — | 54 | 192 | 109 | 2nd of 8, EJHL | |
| 1999–00 | 39 | 20 | 15 | 4 | — | 44 | 155 | 118 | 7th of 11, EJHL | |
| 2000–01 | No information | 3rd of 12, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinal game, 3–5 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors | |||||||
| 2001–02 | 38 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 54 | 186 | 87 | 1st of 6, South 2nd of 12, EJHL | Won Quarterfinal game, 7–0 vs. Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters Won Semifinal game, 4–2 vs. New England Jr. Coyotes Lost Championship game, 1–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs |
| 2002–03 | 38 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 63 | 159 | 78 | 1st of 6, South 1st of 12, EJHL | Won Quarterfinals vs. Boston Harbor Wolves Won Semifinal game, 7–2 vs.New England Jr. Coyotes Won Championship game, 5–4 vs. Walpole Stars League Champions |
| 2003–04 | 38 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 140 | 127 | 3rd of 6, South 6th of 12, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs |
| 2004–05 | 54 | 24 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 56 | 163 | 147 | 3rd of 7, South 6th of 13, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 1–1 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors |
| 2005–06 | 45 | 16 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 42 | 125 | 146 | 6th of 7, South 10th of 14, EJHL | did not qualify |
| 2006–07 | 45 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 47 | 162 | 142 | 3rd of 7, South 6th of 14, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 1–1 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins |
| 2007–08 | 45 | 21 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 47 | 173 | 167 | 5th of 7, South 8th of 14, EJHL | Lost Play-in game vs. Bay State Breakers |
| 2008–09 | 45 | 17 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 159 | 201 | 6th of 7, South 11th of 14, EJHL | did not qualify |
| 2009–10 | 45 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 48 | 172 | 159 | 4th of 7, South 7th of 14, EJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs |
| 2010–11 | 45 | 15 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 38 | 162 | 184 | 5th of 7, South 8th of 14, EJHL | Won First Round, 1–0–1 vs. New England Jr. Huskies Lost Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen |
| 2011–12 | 45 | 20 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 143 | 178 | 6th of 7, South 11th of 14, EJHL | Lost First Round, 0–1–1 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors |
| 2012–13 | 45 | 17 | 23 | — | 5 | 39 | 140 | 186 | 5th of 7, South 12th of 14, EJHL | Lost First Round, 1–1 vs. Rochester Stars |
| Eastern Hockey League | ||||||||||
| 2013–14 | 44 | 20 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 43 | 141 | 155 | 5th of 6, Central 11th of 17, EHL | Lost First Round, 0–2 (Boston Bandits) |
| 2014–15 | 44 | 19 | 22 | — | 3 | 41 | 135 | 164 | 5th of 5, Central 12th of 19, EHL | Lost First Round, 0–2 (Northern Cyclones) |
| 2015–16 | 41 | 6 | 31 | — | 4 | 16 | 71 | 187 | 9th of 9, South Conf. 18th of 18, EHL-Premier | did not qualify |
| 2016–17 | 48 | 14 | 30 | — | 4 | 32 | 129 | 214 | 3rd of 4, Central Div. 7th of 8, South Conf. 15th of 17, EHL-Premier | Won Conf. Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Connecticut Oilers) Lost Conf. Semifinal series, 0–2 (Philadelphia Little Flyers) |
| 2017–18 | 50 | 23 | 18 | — | 9 | 55 | 160 | 157 | 2nd of 4, Central Div. 4th of 8, South Conf. 8th of 16, EHL | Won Conf. Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights) Lost Conf. Semifinal series, 0–2 (Philadelphia Revolution) |
| 2018–19 | 45 | 17 | 24 | — | 4 | 38 | 150 | 172 | 3rd of 3, North Div. 6th of 8, Mid-Atlantic Conf. 14th of 18, EHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights) |
| 2019–20 | 46 | 13 | 28 | — | 5 | 31 | 132 | 203 | 7th of 8, Mid-Atlantic Conf. 16th of 19, EHL | did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | 37 | 12 | 22 | — | 3 | 27 | 128 | 174 | 6th of 6, South Div. 16th of 17, EHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–2 (Protec Jr. Ducks) |
| 2021–22 | 46 | 12 | 30 | — | 4 | 28 | 148 | 224 | 4th of 4, Central. 17th of 17, EHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–2 (Worcester Jr. Railers) |
| 2022–23 | 46 | 14 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 31 | 98 | 167 | 5th of 5, Central. 19th of 19, EHL | Lost Div. Qualifier, 5–6 (Connecticut RoughRiders) |
| 2023–24 | 46 | 34 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 201 | 116 | 2nd of 6, Central. 4th of 23, EHL | Won Div. Semifinal series, 2–0 (Providence Hockey Club) Lost Div. Final series, 1–2 (Worcester Jr. Railers) |
| 2024–25 | 46 | 5 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 109 | 270 | 5th of 5, Central. 21st of 21, EHL | did not qualify |
Alumni
Apple Core has produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I and Division III, and ACHA college programs, and professional hockey, including:
- Anthony Bitetto - New York Rangers (NHL)
- Erik Burgdoerfer - Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
- Mark Eaton - Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
- Rich Hansen - Rapid City Rush (CHL)
- Mārtiņš Karsums - Dinamo Riga (KHL)
- Ryan Cruthers - Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL)
- Doug Murray - Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
- Eric Nystrom - Nashville Predators (NHL)
- Jekabs Redlihs - Dinamo Riga (KHL)
- Steven Santini - St. Louis Blues (NHL)
- Kevin Schaeffer - Charlotte Checkers (ECHL)
- Rob Scuderi - Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
- Ryan Vesce - San Jose Sharks (NHL)
- Matt Gilroy - New York Rangers (NHL)
In 2005, the Apple Core became the first junior team to be represented by all four competing schools in the Beanpot hockey tournament. Representing the Apple Core were Kevin Schaeffer and Jekabs Redlihs of Boston University, Mike Brennan of Boston College, Jon Pelle and Bill Keenan of Harvard University, and Louie Liotti and Steve Birnstill of Northeastern University.