RPI, Ferris Hire New Men's Head Coaches

The coaching carousel began spinning last week in the NCAA Division I men's hockey ranks.

Rensselaer tabbed Eric Lang earlier today as its new bench boss. Lang, 49, an American International College graduate, spent the last nine seasons at his alma mater, which is reclassifying the AIC men's hockey program to NCAA Division II next season. He led the Yellowjackets to an overall mark of 153-139-30, which included four Atlantic Hockey regular-season championships, three Atlantic Hockey conference tournament titles, and three NCAA tournament berths. 

A former men's assistant at Army West Point, Lang, 49, also spent one year as the men's head coach at Manhattanville College, guiding the Division III Valiants to a 13-9-3 finish in 2011-12. Prior to that, he coached the Manhattanville women's team for three seasons, going 58-22-3 overall and leading the Valiants to two ECAC East titles and their most recent NCAA tournament appearance to date. He succeeds former RPI coach Dave Smith, who over saw the Engineers the last eight years.

Ferris State hired Long Island University head coach Brett Riley on March 31, the only coach LIU had known since the program began play in 2020-21. In four seasons at the helm of the Sharks, Riley, a Hobart graduate, led them to an overall record of 42-73-5, including a program-best 20 wins in 2024-25. He also coached Wilkes for one NCAA Division III season, fashioning a 16-8-2 mark in 2018-19, before serving one year as an assistant at Colgate. Riley, 34, succeeds long-time Ferris head coach Bob Daniels, who had led the Bulldogs the past 33 seasons.

ADDENDUM: LIU has hired Brendan Riley, cousin of Brett Riley, as the Sharks' new men's hockey coach. The son of longtime Army West Point head coach Brian Riley, Brendan Riley, 29, has served the past three years as an assistant coach at AIC. A native of West Point, N.Y., he skated at forward for Mercyhurst from 2016 to 2020, notching five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 91 career games.

Riley to Step Down at Army After Season

Add Army West Point to the list of NCAA Division I men's hockey schools that will be introducing a new head coach following the upcoming season.

Brian Riley (middle, above), a West Point, N.Y. native who has guided the Black Knights since 2004-05, has announced that he will step down as Army's head coach following the 2024-25 NCAA campaign. In 20 seasons at the helm, he has complied an overall 242-359-92 mark, including the 2008 Atlantic Hockey regular-season championship. He has also been named Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year four times in his career. Riley follows Cornell's Mike Schafer and Notre Dame's Jeff Jackson, who will also retire next spring from their respective positions.

A 1983 graduate of Brown, Riley skated in 97 games in all at forward for the Bears, tallying 28 goals and 35 assists for 63 points. He began his coaching career as an assistant at SUNY-Plattsburgh in 1984-85, before spending one year at UMass Lowell in 1987-88, where he helped the then-Chiefs to the NCAA tournament. He then moved on to Army in 1989-90 and remained there for seven seasons. After a two-year stint as head coach at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota, Riley returned to Army in 1999, where he again served as an assistant to his older brother, Rob, before ultimately taking the head coaching reins himself in 2004.

Riley, 65, is expected to be succeeded by current assistant coach and former Black Knights defenseman Zach McKelvie in 2025-26. It will mark the first time since 1949-50 that a Riley will not serve as the head hockey coach at Army, as Rob Riley guided the Cadets from 1986 to 2004, after father Jack Riley oversaw the program from 1950 to 1986.

Princeton Edges Army West Point, 4-3, in OT

Adam Robbins' goal with 27 seconds remaining in three-on-three overtime was the game-winner, as Princeton edged visiting Army West Point, 4-3, in a non-conference contest on Monday night at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. 

Army's Joey Baez had tied the game with just five seconds remaining in regulation, with goaltender Gavin Abric (25 saves) pulled for an extra attacker, before Robbins won it. Princeton's Ethan Pearson finished with 27 stops, including a spectacular diving glove save on a 2-on-1 rush to keep the host Tigers ahead at the time by a goal.

Princeton's Kevin Anderson opened the scoring early in the first period with his first career NCAA goal, before Brent Keefer tied it less than five minutes later. Jack Cronin connected on a power play late just four seconds before the first intermission to put the Tigers back on top, before Rick Lyle tied it again early in the second stanza for the Black Knights (7-18-1 overall). Kai Daniels then scored on a partial breakaway less than four minutes later to make it 3-2 for Princeton (7-11-2), and the score remained unchanged until Baez tied it on a one-timer from the left circle with time winding down.

Princeton defenseman Noah de la Durantaye finished with two assists, as did Army blueliner Mac Gadowsky, son of former Princeton and current Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. The Black Knights outshot the Tigers, 30-29, but finished 1-for-7 on the power play. Princeton, which snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory, went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

ECHL's Everblades Win 2022 Kelly Cup

For the first time since 2012, the Florida Everblades are ECHL champions.

The Everblades completed their playoff journey on Saturday night at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. with a 4-2 win over the Toledo Walleye in Game Five of the 2022 Kelly Cup Final. Florida won the series, four games to one, to claim the second Kelly Cup in franchise hostory.

Former NCAA players on this year's Everblades playoff roster included: Darik Angeli (Ohio State), Parker Gahagen (Army West Point), John McCarron (Cornell), Jake Jaremko (Minnesota State), Cam Johnson (North Dakota), Lukas Kaelble (Lake Superior State/Clarkson), Ben Masella (St. Lawrence), Chris McKay (RIT), Jake McLaughlin (UMass), Michael Neville (Michigan Tech), Joe Pendenza (UMass Lowell), Nathan Perkovich (Lake Superior State), Zach Solow (Northeastern), Dylan Vander Esch (SUNY Potsdam) and Blake Winiecki (St. Cloud State), 

Johnson earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award for his performance in net for Florida. He fashioned a 15-3 record in 18 postseason games this spring, along with a 1.90 goals-against average and four shutouts.