February 28, 2025/Midnight
Erie, PA.—The Gannon Golden Knights Men’s Club Hockey team wrapped up its season earlier this month. The club participated in The Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) and AAU College Hockey. The year saw lots of growth, teamwork, and determination despite a tough season. For this article, only statistics and information from UNYCHL will be included.
The Golden Knights had a stellar start to the season winning their first two contests and scoring ten goals in the season opener. Unfortunately, the team struggled to find wins and finished in 11th place in the UNYCHL. Despite finishing with a 4-7 record, the team never gave up and brought their best each night.
Defenseman Nicholas Austin Nagy led the team in goals scoring a career-high 10 goals while adding four assists. Defenseman Chris Spriegel led the team with 16 points including a team-high nine assists. Despite only playing five games, forward Nick Seapker had six goals and five assists.
Cole Ternent joined the club hockey team for his first season. After not playing the sport for 11 years, he said “playing hockey was something I’ve always wanted to do.” He felt that he and his teammates grew closer throughout the season. “Everyone had each other’s back… and [we] grew a lot of chemistry on the ice.”
He had some good things to say about head coach AJ Bailey, a parole officer who has been the team’s bench boss since 2023. “Coach AJ was always there to chip into a funny conversation and get us back refocused on the game.”
Meric Larson played the most important position on the team. The Alberta-native goaltender was looked upon to keep each game close. While that could be stressful, he says it is also rewarding.
“The key moto I live by is next save, next save, next save. It doesn’t matter how many goals are scored on; you just focus on that next save.” he says.
If you are interested in joining the team, Ternent “believes you should absolutely do it.” Being apart of the club was beneficial because his teammates were trying to help him succeed. He says, “You also grow a lot of friendships and great connections throughout the Gannon community.”
While the Golden Knights hockey season is over, there is still plenty to look forward to. While nothing is scheduled yet, there could be a recruiting event this spring for interested hockey players.
