1995–96 Alabama–Huntsville Chargers men's ice hockey season

The 1995–96 Alabama–Huntsville Chargers ice hockey team represented the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the 1995–96 NCAA Division II men's hockey season, winning the national championship. It was the school's first NCAA national championship, following club national championships in 1981–82, 1982–83, and 1983–84. The team was coached by Doug Ross, who was in his 14th season as head coach, and played their home games at the Von Braun Civic Center.

1995–96 Alabama–Huntsville Chargers men's ice hockey
NCAA Division II National Champions
NCAA Championship Series, W 7–1, 3–0 vs. Bemidji State
ConferenceIndependent
Record24–0–3
Head coach
Home stadiumVon Braun Civic Center

The Chargers completed the regular season with 22 wins, zero losses, and 3 ties. They were then invited to play the Bemidji State Beavers in a two-game series to determine the Division II National Championship at Huntsville's Von Braun Civic Center. The Chargers would dominate in both a 7–1 victory on March 8, followed by 3–0 shutout to clinch the championship the following day.[1]

In the weeks following the championship, speculation on plans for a new 4,000-seat arena near the Benton H. Wilcoxon Municipal Iceplex for the Chargers were later abandoned. Additionally, whether or not to move back to Division I became an issue, but UAH would refrain from the jump until 1998.[2]

Roster

[3][4][5]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team
1 Quebec Cédrick Billequey Freshman G 6' 0" (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1975-03-10 Montreal, Quebec
3 New York (state) Scott Usmail Junior D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1973-11-08 New Hartford, New York
4 Illinois Steve Borko Senior D 6' 5" (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1971-01-11 Schaumburg, Illinois Des Moines (USHL)
5 British Columbia Taso Sofikitis Senior D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971-03-01 Vancouver, British Columbia Bellingham (BCJHL)
6 Ontario Marc Macera Senior D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1971-12-20 London, Ontario
7 Ontario Brad Dame Senior D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1972-01-31 Windsor, Ontario Windsor (WOHL)
8 Alberta Sheldon Wolitski Senior D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1972-07-12 St. Albert, Alberta
9 Michigan Joe Provenzano Freshman D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1975-03-29 Grosse Pointe, Michigan Des Moines (USHL)
10 Ontario Darren Awender Sophomore C 5' 8" (1.73 m) 170 lb (77 kg) St. Clair Beach, Ontario Leamington (WOHL)
11 Ontario John Barrett Freshman F London, Ontario
12 Manitoba Ryan Wood Senior RW 5' 11" (1.8 m) 197 lb (89 kg) 1971-09-28 Morden, Manitoba Winkler (MJHL)
13 Alaska Levi Hall Freshman D 6' 3" (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1975-06-04 Kenai, Alaska Wisconsin (USHL)
14 Alabama Matt Parker Sophomore LW 5' 10" (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1975-07-28 Huntsville, Alabama
15 Michigan Paul Schloss Freshman LW 5' 10" (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Livonia, Michigan
16 Michigan Tony Guzzo Junior C 5' 10" (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Canton, Michigan
17 Ontario Wade Tulk Senior C 5' 10" (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1971-09-23 St. Catharines, Ontario Massena (CJHL)
18 Michigan Mario Mazzuca Senior LW 6' 0" (1.83 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1971-11-13 Dearborn, Michigan
19 Michigan Mike Hamlin Freshman RW 6' 0" (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Flint, Michigan
20 Michigan Eric Bilyeu Junior LW 5' 9" (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1973-03-22 St. Joseph, Michigan
21 Indiana K. C. Schneider Junior RW 5' 11" (1.8 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Indianapolis, Indiana
22 Ontario Jamie Baby Freshman C 6' 1" (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Parry Sound, Ontario Muskoka (MetJHL)
24 Illinois Chris Price Freshman LW 6' 2" (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Naperville, Illinois Springfield (NAHL)
25 Ontario John McCabe Sophomore LW 6' 4" (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1974-05-30 Espanola, Ontario
27 Ontario Ryan Stewart Sophomore RW 5' 10" (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Bowmanville, Ontario Danville (NAHL)
29 Tennessee Ryan Gillespie Freshman F Franklin, Tennessee
30 Ontario Derek Puppa Senior G 5' 9" (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1972-02-18 Kirkland Lake, Ontario
35 Michigan Mike Zeller Sophomore G 6' 0" (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Goodrich, Michigan

Regular season

Schedule

  •    Green background indicates win.
  •    Red background indicates loss.
  •    Yellow background indicates tie.
DateOpponentSiteDecisionResultAttendanceRecord
Regular Season
October 27 St. Norbert* Von Braun Civic CenterHuntsville, Alabama   W 5–4  1,908 1–0–0
October 28 St. Norbert* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 4–2  811 2–0–0
November 3 Windsor* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama (Exhibition) Puppa W 7–1  n/a 2–0–0
November 4 Windsor* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama (Exhibition) Puppa W 6–5 OT n/a 2–0–0
November 17 New Hampshire College* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 13–2  3,259 3–0–0
November 18 New Hampshire College* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 7–0  923 4–0–0
November 25 RIT* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 7–3  1,138 5–0–0
November 26 RIT* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama Puppa W 3–0  753 6–0–0
December 1 Augsburg* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 12–1  2,113 7–0–0
December 2 Augsburg* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 13–2  1,001 8–0–0
December 15 St. Scholastica* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama Puppa W 6–0  1,427 9–0–0
December 16 St. Scholastica* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 10–0  916 10–0–0
December 29 St. John's (MN)* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 6–3  1,698 11–0–0
December 30 St. John's (MN)* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 5–3  1,332 12–0–0
January 5 Salem State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 3–2  2,331 13–0–0
January 6 Salem State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama Puppa T 3–3 OT 1,307 13–0–1
January 12 Curry* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 16–0  3,595 14–0–1
January 13 Curry* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 20–1  850 15–0–1
January 26 at Mercyhurst* Mercyhurst Ice CenterErie, Pennsylvania Puppa T 2–2 OT 950 15–0–2
January 27 at Mercyhurst* Mercyhurst Ice CenterErie, Pennsylvania   W 3–2  1,200 16–0–2
January 28 at Elmira* Murray Athletic CenterElmira, New York   W 4–2  347 17–0–2
February 10 Minnesota–Crookston* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 4–2  1,500 18–0–2
February 11 Minnesota–Crookston* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 2–1  1,403 19–0–2
February 16 Mankato State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 4–2  3,756 20–0–2
February 17 Mankato State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama   W 3–1  2,196 21–0–2
March 1 at Mankato State* Mankato Civic CenterMankato, Minnesota Puppa T 3–3 OT 2,310 21–0–3
March 2 at Mankato State* Mankato Civic CenterMankato, Minnesota   W 4–3  2,674 22–0–3
NCAA Division II Championship Series
March 8 Bemidji State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama Puppa W 7–1  6,126 23–0–3
March 9 Bemidji State* Von Braun Civic Center • Huntsville, Alabama Puppa W 3–0  6,291 24–0–3
*Non-conference game.
Sources:[6][5]

Player stats

[5]

Skaters

Player Pos Yr GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Mario MazzucaLWSr27302252601223
Tony GuzzoCJr271334478306
Ryan WoodRWSr2620254562921
Shledon WolitskiDSr2711273842401
Taso SofikitisDSr2710263620600
Wade TulkCSr2612132546302
K. C. SchneiderRWJr27167236122
Jamie BabyCFr278142218000
Eric BilyeuLWJr2710102033011
Matt ParkerLWSo267121920000
Mike HamlinRWFr277101726212
John McCabeLWSo23861420201
Darren AwenderCSo25311148001
Brad DameDSr272121424200
Mark MaceraDSr26381165200
Scott UsmailDSr2645938000
Paul SchlossLWFr2453810001
Chris PriceLWFr21342000
Ryan StewartRWSo71342000
Joe ProvenzanoDFr180228000
Team2717226143354846824

Goaltenders

Player Yr GP TOI W L T GA GAA SV% SO
Derek PuppaSr251316:102103371.69.9363
Mike ZellerSo6229:4430071.83.9290
Cédrick BillequeyFr489:0600010.67.9640

References

  1. Times Editorial Staff (March 11, 1996). "Guess who's No. 1?". The Huntsville Times. pp. B4.
  2. Marshall, Mike (March 11, 1996). "New arena, Division I may be in cards for national champs". The Huntsville Times. pp. B4.
  3. "1995-96 U. of Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA) roster and player statistics". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  4. "Univ. of Alabama-Huntsville 1995 - 1996 Team Roster". Elite Prospects. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  5. Napier, Michael A. "Final 1996 Men's Ice Hockey Statistics Report" (PDF). University of Alabama in Huntsville. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  6. "Hockey All-Time Results". University of Alabama in Huntsville. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
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