The Pittsburgh Vengeance were 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. Some people find it odd that although the team is not located in Pittsburgh. They use the city’s name.

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.

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.

SeasonGPWLTOTLPtsGFGARegular season finishPlayoffs
1997–985021263—451682409th Metro ALost in 1st round to Quinte Hawks
1998–99281990—381561123rd EmJHL3rd in Championship round-robin (W, 5–2 vs. Jr. Stars; W, 8–4 vs. Blades; L, 4–0 vs. Jr. Americans)
1999–00281972—40140833rd EmJHL3rd in Championship round-robin (L, 4–7 vs. Jr. Americans; W, 7–4 vs. Maple Leafs; L, 2–4 vs. Blades)
2000–01302181—43193982nd EmJHL1st 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
2001–023620142—422041266th EmJHLLost Second Round game vs. Binghamton Tornadoes
2002–03322093—431951012nd of 8, West 4th of 12, EmJHL4th in Championship round-robin (L, 2–5 vs. Jr. Stars; L, 0–6 vs. Apple Core; L, 5–6 vs. Tornadoes)
2003–04383062—622041072nd of 8, West 2nd of 12, EmJHLLost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Connecticut Lazers
2004–054429123—612111293rd of 8, West 5th of 16, EmJHLLost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Rochester Jr. Americans
2005–0642221631481591322nd of 4, West 8th of 19, EmJHLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Rochester Jr. Americans Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Syracuse Jr. Stars
2006–07383260064195861st of 5, West 4th of 21, EmJHLWon 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)
2007–084432930671941102nd of 4, West 4th of 19 EmJHLWon 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)
2008–09443561273190891st of 5, West 2nd of 21, EmJHLLost in Final Four (L, 3–6 vs. Jr. Bruins; L, 1–2 vs. Jr. Monarchs)
2009–1048341220702351093rd of 13, CSHLWon 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)
2010–11452916—0582371525th of 12, NA3HLLost Round 1, 0–2 vs. Chicago Hitmen
2011–12482619—3551881654th of 4, East 8th of 16, NA3HLLost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Flint Jr. Generals
2012–13482818—2581781622nd of 6, East 6th of 17, NA3HLLost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Flint Jr. Generals
2013–14482515—8581561303rd of 6, East 10th of 21, NA3HLLost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
2014–15473011—6661691172nd of 6, East 8th of 31, NA3HLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Toledo Cherokee Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Metro Jets
2015–16471925—3411321575th of 6, East 23rd of 34, NA3HLDid not qualify
2016–17472816—3591591202nd of 6, East 14th of 48, NA3HLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Toledo Cherokee Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Metro Jets
2017–18473412—1691721082nd of 6, East 9th of 42, NA3HLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Lansing Wolves Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Metro Jets
2018–19442612—6581581092nd of 6, Great Lakes 16th of 52, USPHL PremierWon 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)
2019–2044337—369199842nd of 6, Great Lakes 6th of 52, USPHL PremierWon 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
2020–21433011—2621551003rd of 7, Great Lakes 12th of 62, USPHL PremierWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Wooster Oilers Lost Div. Nationals qualifiers, 0–2 vs. Toledo Cherokee
2021–22442120—3451681754th of 7, Great Lakes 37th of 64, USPHL PremierWon Div. Semifinal, 2–0 vs. Cincinnati Jr Cyclones Lost Div. Final qualifier, 0–2 vs. Metro Jets

External links

  • (Official website)