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The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The Jets won consecutive EHL championships in 1951–52 and 1952–53.
| Johnstown Jets | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
| League | EAHL 1950–53 IHL 1953–55 EHL, 1955–73 NAHL 1973–77 |
| Operated | 1950–1977 |
| Home arena | Cambria County War Memorial Arena |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | EHL (4) (1950–51, 1951–52, 1959–60, 1963–64) |
| Division titles | EHL (4) (1950–51, 1951–52, 1959–60, 1963–64) NAHL (1) (1975–76) |
| Playoff championships | EHL (5) (1951–52, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62) NAHL (1) (1974–75) |
When the EAHL suspended operations in 1953, the Jets transferred to the International Hockey League, where they played two seasons. Johnstown were Turner Cup finalists in 1953–54, losing four games to two, to the Cincinnati Mohawks.
In 1955, the Jets joined the Eastern Hockey League (a league founded from the EAHL), and won three consecutive EHL championships in 1959–60, 1960–61 and 1961–62. Johnstown remained in the league until its demise in 1973.
The Jets then joined the new North American Hockey League in 1973. Dick Roberge coached Johnstown to the Lockhart Cup championship 1974–75, defeating the Broome Dusters. That season's playoff run included the Carlson brothers, Jeff, Jack and Steve, who became the basis for the Hanson Brothers in the movie Slap Shot. Jeff and Steve Carlson portrayed their fictional selves in the movie, while former Jet Dave Hanson portrayed Jack. The Jets played four seasons total in the NAHL before the league folded in 1977. The team itself folded in the offseason, when the Johnstown flood of 1977 damaged the arena's ice making equipment.
Johnstown was later represented by the Johnstown Wings (later Red Wings) from 1978 to 1980. The Red Wings folded after two seasons, but hockey returned to Johnstown in 1988 with the Johnstown Chiefs, which named itself after the Jets' fictional counterpart from Slap Shot.
Season-by-season results
edit| Season | League | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Winning % | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950–51 | EAHL | 54 | 26 | 25 | 3 | 55 | 0.509 | 195 | 194 | 1st, EAHL |
| 1951–52 | EAHL | 65 | 39 | 21 | 5 | 83 | 0.638 | 264 | 186 | 1st, EAHL |
| 1952–53 | EAHL | 60 | 28 | 29 | 3 | 59 | 0.492 | 226 | 244 | 2nd, EAHL |
| 1953–54 | IHL | 65 | 35 | 27 | 3 | 73 | 0.562 | 254 | 221 | 3rd, IHL |
| 1954–55 | IHL | 60 | 25 | 34 | 1 | 51 | 0.425 | 188 | 215 | 5th, IHL |
| 1955–56 | EHL | 64 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 64 | 0.500 | 312 | 298 | 4th, EHL |
| 1956–57 | EHL | 64 | 31 | 33 | 0 | 62 | 0.484 | 320 | 290 | 4th, EHL |
| 1957–58 | EHL | 64 | 31 | 30 | 3 | 65 | 0.508 | 228 | 225 | 4th, EHL |
| 1958–59 | EHL | 64 | 33 | 28 | 3 | 69 | 0.539 | 252 | 223 | 2nd, EHL |
| 1959–60 | EHL | 64 | 45 | 18 | 1 | 91 | 0.711 | 255 | 176 | 1st, South |
| 1960–61 | EHL | 64 | 40 | 22 | 2 | 82 | 0.641 | 273 | 215 | 2nd, South |
| 1961–62 | EHL | 68 | 41 | 26 | 1 | 83 | 0.610 | 296 | 255 | 2nd, North |
| 1962–63 | EHL | 68 | 34 | 31 | 3 | 71 | 0.522 | 254 | 309 | 3rd, North |
| 1963–64 | EHL | 72 | 41 | 26 | 5 | 87 | 0.604 | 297 | 245 | 1st, North |
| 1964–65 | EHL | 72 | 41 | 31 | 0 | 82 | 0.569 | 330 | 294 | 3rd, North |
| 1965–66 | EHL | 72 | 39 | 31 | 2 | 80 | 0.556 | 303 | 267 | 3rd, North |
| 1966–67 | EHL | 72 | 34 | 36 | 2 | 70 | 0.486 | 267 | 290 | 3rd, North |
| 1967–68 | EHL | 72 | 38 | 25 | 9 | 85 | 0.590 | 386 | 273 | 3rd, North |
| 1968–69 | EHL | 72 | 42 | 23 | 7 | 91 | 0.632 | 358 | 230 | 2nd, North |
| 1969–70 | EHL | 74 | 27 | 33 | 14 | 68 | 0.459 | 318 | 344 | 3rd, North |
| 1970–71 | EHL | 74 | 30 | 29 | 15 | 75 | 0.507 | 273 | 297 | 3rd, North |
| 1971–72 | EHL | 75 | 33 | 28 | 14 | 80 | 0.533 | 290 | 269 | 2nd, North |
| 1972–73 | EHL | 76 | 36 | 28 | 12 | 84 | 0.553 | 283 | 255 | 2nd, North |
| 1973–74 | NAHL | 74 | 32 | 38 | 4 | 68 | 0.459 | 265 | 303 | 5th, NAHL |
| 1974–75 | NAHL | 74 | 38 | 32 | 4 | 80 | 0.541 | 274 | 255 | 4th, NAHL |
| 1975–76 | NAHL | 74 | 47 | 25 | 2 | 96 | 0.649 | 346 | 257 | 1st, West |
| 1976–77 | NAHL | 73 | 22 | 49 | 2 | 46 | 0.315 | 253 | 334 | 7th, NAHL |
NHL alumni
edit
List of Johnstown Jets who played in the National Hockey League, 46 in total.
- Lloyd Ailsby
- Wayne Bianchin
- Bruce Boudreau
- Ross Brooks
- Andy Brown
- Fred Burchell
- Jack Carlson
- Steve Carlson
- Dwight Carruthers
- Mike Chernoff
- Gary Collins
- Joe Daley
- Nick Damore
- Bob Dawes
- Norm Defelice
- Guy Delparte
- Marv Edwards
- Rocky Farr
- Harry Frost
- Gary Gambucci
- Bob Gryp
- Dave Hanson
- Galen Head
- Paul Holmgren
- Eddie Johnston
- Larry Johnston
- Eddie Kachur
- Ken Kilrea
- Ted Lanyon
- Jean-Louis Levasseur
- Dave Lucas
- Ralph MacSweyn
- Jim Mair
- Brian Marchinko
- Jack McIntyre
- Don McLean
- Jim Mikol
- Jim Murray
- Joe Schaefer
- Don Simmons
- Bob Sneddon
- Morris Stefaniw
- Gilles Villemure
- Bob Warner
- Bob Whitlock
- Joe Zanussi
League All-Stars
editThe following players were named to the league's respective All-Star team, announced at the end of the season.
| Year | Player | Position | Team | Total (with Jets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-52 | Ivan Wamsley | Goalie | First Team | 1st nomination |
| Larry Archambeault | Defense | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Skip Burchell | Center | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Reggie Grigg | Right Wing | Third Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1952-53 | Ivan Wamsley | Goalie | Second Team | 2nd nomination (1x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Don Hall | Left Wing | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1953-54 | Don Hall | Left Wing | First Team | 2nd nomination (1x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Arnie Schmaultz | Right Wing | Right Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1954-55 | Don Hall | Left Wing | First Team | 3rd nomination (2x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| John Horvath | Center | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1955-56 | Don Hall | Left Wing | First Team | 4th nomination (3x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Ken Coombes | Center | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Dick Roberge | Right | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Alex Zubatiuk | Defense | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1956-57 | Don Hall | Left Wing | First Team | 5th nomination (4x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Lloyd Ailsby | Defense | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Ken Coombes | Center | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1957-58 | Don Hall | Left Wing | First Team | 6th nomination (5x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Ken Coombes | Center | First Team | 2nd nomination (2x First Team) | |
| Dick Roberge | Right Wing | Second Team | 2nd nomination (1x First Team, 1x Second Team) | |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1958-59 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 3rd nomination (2x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Steve Brklacich | Defense | First Team | First nomination | |
| Don Hall | Left Wing | Second Team | 7th nomination (5x First Team, 2x Second Team) | |
| Jim Shirley | Goalie | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1959-60 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 4th nomination (3x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Ed Johnston | Goalie | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Steve Brklacich | Coach | First Team | 2nd nomination (1x First Team Defense, 1x First Team Coach) | |
| Steve Brklacich | Defense | Second Team | 3rd nomination (1x First Team Defense, 1x Second Team Defense, 1x First Team Coach) | |
| Don Hall | Left Wing | Second Team | 8th nomination (5x First Team, 3x Second Team) | |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | Second Team | 2nd nomination (2x Second Team) | |
| Ken Coombes | Center | Second Team | 3rd nomination (2x First Team, 1x Second Team) | |
| 1960-61 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 4th nomination (3x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Don Hall | Left Wing | Second Team | 9th nomination (5x First Team, 4x Second Team) | |
| Ken Laufman | Center | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| Steve Brklacich | Defense | Second Team | 4th nomination (1x First Team Defense, 2x Second Team Defense, 1x First Team Coach) | |
| 1961-62 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 5th nomination (4x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Ken Laufman | Center | First Team | 2nd nomination (2x First Team) | |
| John Lumley | Left Wing | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | First Team | 3rd nomination (1x First Team, 2x Second Team) | |
| 1962-63 | Butch Martin | Coach | First Team | 1st nomination |
| Butch Martin | Left Wing | Second Team | 2nd nomination (1x First Team Coach, 1x Second Team Left Wing) | |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | Second Team | 4th nomination (1x First Team, 3x Second Team) | |
| 1963-64 | Dave Lucas | Defense | First Team | 5th nomination (2x First Team, 3x Second Team) |
| Butch Martin | Right Wing | Second Team | 3rd nomination (1x First Team Coach, 1x Second Team Left Wing, 1x Second Team Right Wing) | |
| Butch Martin | Coach | Second Team | 3rd nomination (1x First Team Coach, 1x Second Team Left Wing, 1x Second Team Right Wing, 1x Second Team Coach) | |
| 1964-65 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 6th nomination (5x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | Second Team | 6th nomination (2x First Team, 4x Second Team) | |
| Bill Ives | Left Wing | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1965-66 | Dick Roberge | Right Wing | First Team | 7th nomination (6x First Team, 1x Second Team) |
| Dave Lucas | Defense | Second Team | 7th nomination (2x First Team, 5x Second Team) | |
| Dave Lucas | Coach | Second Team | 8th nomination (2x First Team Defense, 5x Second Team Defense, 1x Second Team Coach) | |
| Andy Brown | Goalie | Second Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1966-67 | Ralph McSweyn | Right Wing | First Team | 1st nomination |
| Dick Roberge | Right Wing | Second Team | 8th nomination (6x First Team, 2x Second Team) | |
| 1967-68 | Reg Kent | Center | First Team | 1st nomination |
| 1968-69 | Dick Roberge | Coach | First Team | 9th nomination (6x First Team Right Wing, 2x Second Team Right Wing, 1x Coach) |
| Reg Kent | Center | First Team | 2nd nomination (2x First Team) | |
| Galen Head | Right Wing | First Team | 1st nomination | |
| 1972-73 | Ted Lanyon | Defense | Second Team | 1st nomination |
| 1974-75 | Ron Docken | Goaltender | Second Team | 1st nomination |
| Brian Coughlin | Right Defense | Second Team | 1st nomination |
Most All-Star appearances
| Player | Appearances | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Don Hall | 9 | |
| Dick Roberge | 9 | Includes one appearance as a coach |
| Dave Lucas | 8 | Includes one appearance as a coach |
| Steve Brklacich | 4 | Includes one appearance as a coach |
| Butch Martin | 4 | Includes one appearance as a coach. Only player in Jets' history to be named to EHL All-Star team under two positions |
| Ken Coombes | 3 | |
| Ken Laufman | 2 | |
| Reg Kent | 2 | |
| Ivan Wamsley | 2 |
References
editExternal links
edit- Johnstown Jets - www.officialgamepuck.com
- Old-time hockey indeed - Jets history
- How the Johnstown Jets were turned into the Charlestown Chiefs