Providence Friars men's ice hockey


The Providence Friars men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Providence College. The Friars are a member of Hockey East. The skating Friars are currently coached by Nate Leaman has been the head coach of the skating Friars since 2011, leading them to a national championship in 2015. They play at the 3,030-seat Schneider Arena in Providence, Rhode Island.

Season-by-season results

Early Years

Providence began their ice hockey program in 1927 with a 6–4 win over Springfield. Unfortunately it would be over 25 years before the Friars could get their next win. The inaugural season ended with seven straight losses, utilizing three coaches in total, and due to a lack of available ice the program was shuttered until 1952. When Providence did return to the ice they did so in the Rhode Island Auditorium, and with Providence native Dick Rondeau behind the bench. The results were poor at the start, understandably, but Rondeau did get the Friars to produce a winning season in his third year, coincidentally the same year the Friars played in their first conference, the NEHL.
Rondeau left after 1956 and turned the team over to Tom Eccleston who continued to build the Friar's resume. In 8 seasons Eccleston only had one losing season and when ECAC Hockey was formed in 1961 he had the team well-positioned. Despite a 14th-place finish Providence was selected as one of the 8 teams to participate in the first conference tournament. The Friars shot up the standings the following year, finishing 5th before winning their first conference title in 1964 which they followed up with the Conference Championship. The win sent Providence to the National Tournament for the first time but the Friars lost both games to finish a disappointing 4th.

Lamoriello Years

Eccleston retired from coaching in 1964 and turned the team over to former NHLer Zellio Toppazzini but, after a good first season, the Friars plummeted to the bottom of the conference and remained their for three years before former Friar all-star Lou Lamoriello was installed as head coach. The team began to recover in Lamoriello's second season and made the conference tournament the following year. After a few seasons oscillating up and down the standings Lamoriello recruited Ron Wilson to Providence and the defenseman paid immediate dividends. Wilson won the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year in 1974 and then exploded for 87 points in just 27 games during his sophomore season. Wilson led the entire conference in scoring and finished second in the nation and set an all-time NCAA record for assists and points by a defenseman both overall and per game. While the overall totals have both been surpassed, Wilson still has the records for assists and points per game for a defenseman. Wilson was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year but without much help Wilson couldn't get the Friars past the conference quarterfinals in any of his 4 seasons.
After Wilson graduated in 1977, Lamoriello was able to keep the team in the conference playoffs and win their first postseason game since Eccleston and then upset 26–1 Boston University in the semifinal to guarantee the Friars a trip to the 1978 NCAA Tournament. When Boston College won the ECAC Championship Providence was given the second eastern seed, however, because BU had such a stellar season the NCAA selection committee gave them an at-large bid. Providence was forced to play the nation's top team a second time to earn a berth in the national semifinal and, with the Terriers looking for revenge, Providence couldn't pull off the upset a second time. Despite the setback success stayed with the Friars and PC made the conference tournament each of the following six seasons. Lamoriello got the team to post its first 20-win season in 1979–80 and followed that up with a surprising tournament championship. Unfortunately the Friars still could not win a tournament game and were swept out by Michigan State in the quarterfinals. After a second 20-win season Lamoriello was promoted to Athletic director in 1982 but remained as coach for another season while he found a suitable replacement. In his final season the Friars demolished the previous program by posting 33 wins, albeit with 9 games more than they had ever played, and finished atop the conference for the second time. Lamoriello's team finished as the conference tournament runner-up and made the NCAA tournament where they finally managed to win a game, sweeping Minnesota–Duluth out of the quarterfinals. Providence was stymied by Wisconsin in the semifinal but the team redeemed itself with a 3rd-place finish.

Hockey East

was introduced as the new coach the following year and kept on rolling with another 20+ win season. In 1984 all 6 teams in the East Division and Lowell left the conference and formed Hockey East. While Providence was mostly a middling team that season, when the playoffs came around, junior goaltender Chris Terreri came into his own. After allowing 2 goals in the two quarterfinal games against Northeastern, Terreri shut down Boston University in the semifinal and led the Friars against Hockey East champion Boston College in the championship. Terreri held one of the nation's top offensive teams to a single goal in his 65-save masterpiece as Providence won in double overtime. Allowing just 5 goals in four and a half games was an astounding effort, especially at a time when most teams were routinely scoring 4 goals per game.
Terreri continued his MVP performance in the NCAA Tournament when the Friars were pitted against Michigan State. The Spartans were the best team all season and entered the tournament having just tied the record for the most wins in a season. In the first game, despite the Spartans potent offense, they only managed to win the game by a single goal, leaving the door open for the Friars in the rematch. Terreri held Michigan State to 2 goals, making 83 saves in the two games, and allowing the 4 his team scored to earn them a trip into the semifinals as one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. In the semifinal Providence met Boston College once more and the two teams battled in a lopsided game. While Terreri was bombarded by shots, BC's Scott Gordon had a much easier time but the teams remained tied after regulation. This time it took three overtime periods and with the Terreri setting an NCAA record for saves in a Frozen Four game the Friars won the game and made their first championship appearance. Terreri was again stellar in the final game against Rensselaer, allowing 2 goals on 42 shots, but this time his team couldn't support him offensively and the Friars lost 1–2. Despite the loss, the astounding performance by Terreri earned him Tournament MOP honors, the only losing player to win the award since 1960.

Middling Results

After the spectacular finish the team suffered a blow when Stirling resigned to return to Division III Babson and he was replaced by Mike McShane. McShane's tenure was neither good nor bad for the Friars as the team finished with a ~.500 record in his nine seasons but early on Providence lost their leading figure when Lou Lamoriello became the team president for the New Jersey Devils. The Friars continued on with McShane leading them to four consecutive 20+ win seasons in the early 1990s but he was eventually replaced by Paul Pooley in 1994. Early on Pooley looked to be the man to lead the Friars, guiding the team to its second Hockey East tournament title in 1996 but the results soon turned and his tenure with Providence ended with 4 straight conference quarterfinal losses.
After Pooley Providence brought back a name from its past, hoping that Tim Army would be able to succeed as Lamoriello one had, but in six seasons Army produced just one winning campaign and Providence missed out on the playoffs entirely in his final three years.

Return to Prominence

In 2011 former Union bench boss Nate Leaman was brought in and the team responded by winning its first playoff round in over a decade. By year two the team had a winning record and in the third season Leaman had led Providence to its first 20+ win year since 2001. In 2015, led by junior goaltender Jon Gillies, Providence won 26 games and finished tied for second in Hockey East. Despite this the team was upset in the quarterfinals by New Hampshire and had to wait to see if they could get in on the strength of their record. The Friars did manage to secure of the last at-large berths and opened the tournament against 4th overall seeded Miami. Providence posted an enormous 4-goal second period in their backyard to build a 6–2 lead but the RedHawks came storming back with three extra-attacker goals late in the third. Brandon Tanev ended the comeback bid with an empty-netter to advance Providence to the Regional Final. After the first game jitters Gillies appeared to find his game and limited Denver and Omaha to a single goal each in the next two contests to lead Providence back to the National Championship game. 30 years after their first title tilt it appears that Providence would again lose out but after BU netminder Matt O'Connor dropped the puck into his own net to tie the game the momentum swing in the Friars' direction allowing Tanev to score the game-winning goal just over two minutes later.
Leaman continues to lead the Friars and had led the program to six consecutive tournament berths winning at least one game in four of those years. Leaman currently sits 3rd all-time in program wins and is #1 in winning percentage.

Season-by-season results

Records vs. Current Hockey East Teams

As of the completion of 2018–19 season

All-time coaching records

As of completion of 2019–20 season
† Providence had 3 people serve as head coach during their first season

Statistical Leaders

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
1973–197711178172250
1980–198413395118213
1988–1992146103108211
1988–199213173128201
1979–198313889103192
1981–19851517193179
1972–19761057593168
1991–19951437889167
1977–19811177490164
1975–1979876396159
1984–19881459960159

Career Goaltending Leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 35 of team's games
PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
2013–20164827163095865.9311.90
2015–2019125732172361324716.9182.02
2012–2015108643360341322313.9312.08
2016–20207643823528111763.9142.41
2002–200441239121154993.9202.46

Statistics current through the start of the 2020-21 season.

Current roster

As of August 1, 2019.

Awards and honors

[Hockey Hall of Fame]

Individual awards

Spencer Penrose Award
NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Scoring Champion
Tim Taylor Award
Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award
Tournament Most Outstanding Player
AHCA First Team All-Americans
AHCA Second Team All-Americans

Individual awards

Player of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Most Outstanding Player in Tournament
First Team All-ECAC Hockey
Second Team All-ECAC Hockey

Individual awards

Player of the Year
Best Defensive Defenseman
Goaltending Champions
Coach of the Year
Best Defensive Forward
Len Ceglarski Award
Rookie of the Year
Tournament Most Valuable Player
First Team All-Hockey East
Second Team All-Hockey East
Third Team All-Hockey East
Hockey East All-Rookie Team
The following is a list of people associated with the Providence men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame.
PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Noel AcciariCenterBOS, FLA2015–Present0
Rick BennettLeft WingNYR1989–19920
Jock CallanderCenter', TBL1987–19931
Paul CavalliniDefensemanWSH, STL, DAL2014–Present0
Rich CostelloForwardTOR1983–19860
Craig DarbyCenterMTL, NYI, PHI, NJD1960–19610
Jon DiSalvatoreLeft WingSTL, MIN2005–20120
Mike FarrellRight WingWSH, NSH2001–20040
Mark FayneDefensemanNJD, EDM2010–20170
Tom FitzgeraldLeft WingNYI, FLA, COL, NSH, CHI, TOR, BOS1988–20060
Rob GaudreauRight WingSJS, OTT1992–19960
Hal GillDefensemanBOS, TOR, ', MTL, NSH, PHI1997–20141
Jon GilliesGoaltenderCGY2016–20180
John GilmourDefensemanNYR2017–Present0
Paul GuayRight WingPHI, LAK, BOS, NYI1983–19910
Joe HulbigLeft WingEDM, BOS1996–20010
Mark JankowskiLeft WingCGY2016–Present0
Dave KellyForwardDET1976–19770
Scot KleinendorstRight WingNYR, HFD, WSH1982–19900

PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Jim KornDefensemanDET, TOR, BUF, NJD, CGY1980–19900
Jay LeachDefensemanBOS, TBL, NJD, MTL, SJS2005–20110
Colin McDonaldRight WingEDM, PIT, NYI, PHI2009–20170
Gaetano OrlandoForwardBUF1984–19870
Fernando PisaniRight WingEDM, CHI2009–20170
Jon RheaultRight WingFLA2012–20130
Kevin RooneyCenterNJD2016–Present0
Steve RooneyForward', WPG, NJD1984–19891
Nolan SchaeferGoaltenderSJS2005–20060
Tim SchallerCenterBUF, BOS, VAN2014–Present0
Jeff SerowikDefensemanTOR, BOS, PIT1990–19990
Peter TaglianettiRight WingWPG, MNS, ', TBL1984–19952
Brandon TanevLeft WingWIN2015–Present0
Matt TaorminaDefensemanNJD, TBL2010–20160
Chris TerreriGoaltender, SJS, CHI, NYI1986–20012
Chris TherienDefensemanPHI, DAL1994–20060
Randy VelischekDefensemanMNS, NJD, QUE1982–19920
Ron WilsonDefensemanTOR, MNS1977–19880