Indiana Ice Miners
Encyclopedia
The Indiana Ice Miners is a currently dormant professional ice hockey
team formerly in the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
. Based in Indiana
, Pennsylvania
, the team was a founding member of the MAHL, first playing in 2007. The team played at the S&T Bank Arena
. When the league folded prior to the 2008 season, the team was unable to find a new league to play in, but owner Fidel Jenkins has expressed interest in returning for the 2009–10 season.
team was announced for Indiana, Pennsylvania
by league president Andrew Haines in 2007. The league held a contest to name the team, and the "Ice Miners" nickname, a reference to the coal mining
regions of Central and Western Pennsylvania
, was picked in June.
On June 21, 2007, the team announced the hiring of head coach Brian Gratz . Gratz previously played goaltender
at Penn State University, where he won four ACHA National Championships
. In the year before taking the position with the Ice Miners, Gratz served as a volunteer assistant for the Reading Royals
of the ECHL
. He later returned to play with the Wheeling Nailers
. He was called up to the American Hockey League
with the Grand Rapids Griffins
, and finished the year in the ECHL playoffs with the Cincinnati Cyclones
.
The league announced the ownership of the team would be acquired by Robert Eger in December. The team had been run by the league since starting play.
In February, the league announced that it would immediately suspend operations, citing financial reasons. Over the course of the season, the Ice Miners recorded a professional hockey record 26-game winning streak. The team was named champions of the league, with a 31-1-0 record, 18 games before the season was scheduled to end.
The team was purchased by real estate developer Fidel Jenkins on March 7, 2008.
Head coach Brian Gratz left the team in March, to explore other coaching opportunities. The Ice Miners later introduced a new coach, Christian Pania.
The team also made a change of General Manager, hiring Bob Yusko in April. Yusko previously served as the director of operations with the Mon Valley Thunder
.
Despite the successes of the Ice Miners franchise, the MAHL folded in late September 2008, ending hopes of a second season for the league and a chance for the Ice Miners to defend the only MAHL championship.
The team under Jenkins's ownership, never did return for the 2009-10 season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team formerly in the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions of the United States. The league began play in November 2007...
. Based in Indiana
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the team was a founding member of the MAHL, first playing in 2007. The team played at the S&T Bank Arena
S&T Bank Arena
S&T Bank Arena is a 1,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA. It hosts local sporting and other events.Current tenants include the men's and women's ACHA ice hockey teams of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana Drillers a new independent Jr hockey team, Indiana Area...
. When the league folded prior to the 2008 season, the team was unable to find a new league to play in, but owner Fidel Jenkins has expressed interest in returning for the 2009–10 season.
History
A Mid-Atlantic Hockey LeagueMid-Atlantic Hockey League
The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions of the United States. The league began play in November 2007...
team was announced for Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
by league president Andrew Haines in 2007. The league held a contest to name the team, and the "Ice Miners" nickname, a reference to the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
regions of Central and Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, was picked in June.
On June 21, 2007, the team announced the hiring of head coach Brian Gratz . Gratz previously played goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
at Penn State University, where he won four ACHA National Championships
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
. In the year before taking the position with the Ice Miners, Gratz served as a volunteer assistant for the Reading Royals
Reading Royals
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
. He later returned to play with the Wheeling Nailers
Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
. He was called up to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
with the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
, and finished the year in the ECHL playoffs with the Cincinnati Cyclones
Cincinnati Cyclones
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....
.
The league announced the ownership of the team would be acquired by Robert Eger in December. The team had been run by the league since starting play.
In February, the league announced that it would immediately suspend operations, citing financial reasons. Over the course of the season, the Ice Miners recorded a professional hockey record 26-game winning streak. The team was named champions of the league, with a 31-1-0 record, 18 games before the season was scheduled to end.
The team was purchased by real estate developer Fidel Jenkins on March 7, 2008.
Head coach Brian Gratz left the team in March, to explore other coaching opportunities. The Ice Miners later introduced a new coach, Christian Pania.
The team also made a change of General Manager, hiring Bob Yusko in April. Yusko previously served as the director of operations with the Mon Valley Thunder
Mon Valley Thunder
The Mon Valley Thunder was an ice hockey team which played in the inaugural season of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League in 2007. The team played its home games in the Rostraver Ice Garden in Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania. Brian Cersosimo was the team's first and only head coach. Following the...
.
Despite the successes of the Ice Miners franchise, the MAHL folded in late September 2008, ending hopes of a second season for the league and a chance for the Ice Miners to defend the only MAHL championship.
The team under Jenkins's ownership, never did return for the 2009-10 season.