Lindenwood Lions men's ice hockey

Last updated
Lindenwood Lions men's ice hockey
Hockey current event.svg Current season
Lindenwood Athletics wordmark.svg
University Lindenwood University
Conference Independent
First season 2022–23
Head coach Bill Muckalt
1st season
Assistant coaches
Arena Centene Community Ice Center
St. Charles, Missouri
ColorsBlack and gold [1]
   
ACHA Tournament championships
2009, 2010, 2016, 2022

The Lindenwood Lions men's ice hockey team represents the Lindenwood University in NCAA Division I ice hockey. The program had won four club National Championships prior to its promotion to varsity status. [2]

Contents

History

Lindenwood club hockey game vs. Illinois in 2010 LUvsUI icehockey.jpg
Lindenwood club hockey game vs. Illinois in 2010

Lindenwood founded its men's program as a club team in 2003. From its inception, the Lions performed well on the ice, winning 25 out of 29 games in its first year. As the team's schedule increased in difficult, head coach Derek Schaub was able to keep the program in good standing and got the Lions to post a 30-win season 2008. That season saw the team reach the championship game but it was only the beginning for the Lions. The following year Lindenwood was a juggernaut, going 42–4 and winning their first championship while outscoring opponents 313 to 77. After a second dominating championship in 2010, Schaub stepped down and turned the team over to assistant coach and former NHL player, Rick Zombo. [3]

Under Zombo's leadership the Lions continued to be a national contender, reaching the championship in his first season and eventually winning their third title in 2016. [4] While the men's team was achieving those heights, they were overshadowed by the women's team, which had won three consecutive American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) championships and been promoted to Division I in 2011. In 2021 the school announced its plan to have the men's team finally follow the Lady Lions into the varsity ranks and the program began to transition in that direction.

While the school did not officially state that the team would be a Division I program in 2022, multiple news reports indicate the program was on track to secure the needed funding. [5] [6] Critically, the COVID-19 pandemic did not appear to have hampered plans for the program's promotion. Furthering the potential viability of the team is its current home, the Centene Community Ice Center. With a seating capacity of 2,500, the building is comparable to other Division I programs, particularly for a school that only boasts a student body of approximately 7,500. [7]

In the 2021 offseason, the team also began seeing its first transfers into the program from Division I programs (Kyle Jeffers), demonstrating the confidence that some have in Lindenwood's progress. [8] Lindenwood's promotion made the Lions the first Division I program in the St. Louis area since Saint Louis University discontinued their program in 1979. [9]

On March 23, 2022, Lindenwood officially announced that its men's ice hockey team would join Division I in the fall. [10] The team finished its final club season with a 22–3 record and won their fourth ACHA National Championship.

Lindenwood will be eligible for postseason participation in 2026–27, its first full season of D-I membership. [11]

Season-by-season results

[12]

Coaches

Rick Zombo was retained as the team's head coach when it transitioned to Division I status in 2022. [13] After two seasons, it was announced that he would not return. [14]

As of the completion of 2023–24 season

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
2022–2024 Rick Zombo 213–40–5.267
Totals2 coach2 seasons13–40–5.267

Roster

As of August 21, 2024. [15]

No. S/P/CPlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
1 Flag of New Jersey.svg Alexandros AslanidisGraduate G 6' 5" (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg)2001-01-20 Moorestown, New Jersey American International  ( AHA )—
2 Flag of Belarus.svg Artyom BorshyovGraduate D 6' 3" (1.91 m)210 lb (95 kg)2000-08-22 Vitebsk, Belarus Lake Superior State  ( CCHA )—
3 Flag of Quebec.svg Noah HouleFreshman D 6' 1" (1.85 m)192 lb (87 kg)2003-11-16 Montreal, Quebec Flin Flon Bombers  ( SJHL )—
4 Flag of Ontario.svg Shawn RamseyFreshman D 5' 11" (1.8 m)179 lb (81 kg)2004-03-18 Mississauga, Ontario Madison Capitols  ( USHL )—
5 Flag of Alberta.svg Aiden YakimchukSenior D 6' 4" (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)2000-05-14 St. Albert, Alberta Drumheller Dragons  ( AJHL )—
7 Flag of Minnesota.svg Brady YakeshFreshman D 5' 9" (1.75 m)179 lb (81 kg)2003-09-15 Delano, Minnesota Cowichan Valley Capitals  ( BCHL )—
8 Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Thomas JarmanGraduate D 6' 3" (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg)2001-04-09 Gibsonia, Pennsylvania Boston University  ( HEA )—
9 Flag of Alberta.svg Drew KuzmaJunior F 6' 6" (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg)2002-11-13 St. Albert, Alberta Flin Flon Bombers  ( SJHL )—
10 Flag of Michigan.svg Mitch AllardSenior F 6' 1" (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)2000-01-27 Shelby Township, Michigan Minnesota Wilderness  ( NAHL )—
11 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Jaeden MercierSophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m)170 lb (77 kg)2002-02-12 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Flin Flon Bombers  ( SJHL )—
12 Flag of Alberta.svg Ethan ZielkeSophomore D 5' 10" (1.78 m)180 lb (82 kg)2003-08-03 Calgary, Alberta Humboldt Broncos  ( SJHL )—
13 Flag of Alberta.svg Adam RaeslerSenior F 6' 0" (1.83 m)165 lb (75 kg)2003-06-23 Edmonton, Alberta Sherwood Park Crusaders  ( BCHL )—
14 Flag of Nebraska.svg Coltan WilkieJunior D 5' 8" (1.73 m)180 lb (82 kg)2000-04-03 Gretna, Nebraska Okotoks Oilers  ( AJHL )—
15 Flag of Minnesota.svg Joe ProutyJunior D 6' 0" (1.83 m)180 lb (82 kg)2001-11-29 Burnsville, Minnesota New Mexico Ice Wolves  ( NAHL )—
16 Flag of Alberta.svg Ty HipkinFreshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m)181 lb (82 kg)2000-03-31 High River, Alberta Calgary Canucks  ( AJHL )—
17 Flag of Indiana.svg Patrick SchmiedlinSophomore F 6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)2002-03-20 Culver, Indiana Maine Nordiques  ( NAHL )—
18 Flag of Missouri.svg Jack AndersonJunior D 6' 6" (1.98 m)225 lb (102 kg)2002-11-14 St. Louis, Missouri El Paso Rhinos  ( NAHL )—
19 Flag of Sweden.svg Alexander LundmanSenior F 6' 1" (1.85 m)187 lb (85 kg)2001-06-17 Norrköping, Sweden Bemidji State  ( CCHA )—
21 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Jake SouthgateSophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m)185 lb (84 kg)2002-11-04 North Battleford, Saskatchewan Battlefords North Stars  ( SJHL )—
22 Flag of South Dakota.svg Jacob VocklerFreshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m)161 lb (73 kg)2003-02-09 Sioux Falls, South Dakota Flin Flon Bombers  ( SJHL )—
23 Flag of Hungary.svg Kristóf PappGraduate F 5' 11" (1.8 m)176 lb (80 kg)2001-06-27 Budapest, Hungary Northern Michigan  ( CCHA )—
24 Flag of British Columbia.svg John EvansJunior F 5' 10" (1.78 m)150 lb (68 kg)2002-04-08 South Surrey, British Columbia Rensselaer  ( ECAC )—
25 Flag of Ontario.svg Ryan ForbergFreshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m)190 lb (86 kg)2003-02-11 Thornhill, Ontario Markham Royals  ( OJHL )—
26 Flag of Missouri.svg Tyler LoughmanFreshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m)174 lb (79 kg)2003-11-04 St. Louis, Missouri Canmore Eagles  ( AJHL )—
27 Flag of Nova Scotia.svg David GagnonSenior F 6' 1" (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)2000-04-19 Halifax, Nova Scotia Truro Bearcats  ( MHL )—
28 Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Brody MortensenFreshman D 6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)2004-09-07 Humboldt, Saskatchewan Canmore Eagles  ( AJHL )—
29 Flag of Massachusetts.svg Colin RonanFreshman G 6' 2" (1.88 m)190 lb (86 kg)2003-06-06 Saugus, Massachusetts Maryland Black Bears  ( NAHL )—
30 Flag of New York.svg Henry GrahamGraduate G 6' 0" (1.83 m)181 lb (82 kg)2000-07-25 Manhattan, New York Boston University  ( HEA )—
31 Flag of Michigan.svg Owen BartoszkiewiczSophomore (RS) G 6' 1" (1.85 m)195 lb (88 kg)2003-03-11 Northville, Michigan Oklahoma Warriors  ( USHL )—

Statistical leaders

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
David Gagnon 2022–Present3013173016
Hunter Johannes 2022–20232813162987
Andy Willis 2022–2023268152312
Kyle Jeffers 2022–Present287132026
Ryan Finnegan 2022–202329614206
Cade DeStefani 2022–Present26781542
Aiden Yakimchuk 2022–Present30210128
Adam Conquest 2022–Present2266126
Caige Sterzer 2022–Present26651148
Joe Prouty 2022–Present30291136

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 900 minutes played

PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
Trent Burnham 2022–Present169465101670.9014.25

Statistics current through the end of the 2022-23 season.

Lions in professional hockey

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References

  1. ↑ Lindenwood University Brand Identity Guidelines (PDF). Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Lindenwood men's ice hockey moving to Division I". Linked In. February 5, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Former Blue named head coach" (PDF). The Legacy. September 8, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Rick Zombo". Lindenwood Lions. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Lindenwood Hoping For Summer Announcement on D-I Move". College Hockey News. May 3, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Lindenwood University To Add Division I NCAA Hockey". Pro hockey Rumors. February 4, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Centene Community Ice Center Facility Overview". Centene Community Ice Center. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. ↑ "Kyle Jeffers". Elite prospects. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Saint Louis Billikens Hockey". Home Teams Online. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  10. ↑ "Lindenwood Adds NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey". Lindenwood Lions. March 23, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Lindenwood Officially Welcomed by Three Conferences". Lindenwood Lions. July 1, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Lindenwood Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  13. ↑ "RICK ZOMBO". Lindenwood Lions. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Lindenwood Announces Change In Leadership For Men's Ice Hockey". Lindenwood Lions. February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  15. ↑ "2024-25 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Lindenwood Lions. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
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