Nick Vitucci

Nick Vitucci
Born	June 16, 1967 (1967-06-16) (age 44) Welland, Ontario, CAN
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Goalie
Caught	Left
Played for	AHL Binghamton Rangers Hershey Bears Maine Mariners IHL Peoria Rivermen ECHL Greenville Grrrowl Toledo Storm Charlotte Checkers Hampton Roads Admirals Greensboro Monarchs Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Carolina Thunderbirds RHI New Jersey Rockin Rollers Buffalo Wings Empire State Cobras Buffalo Stampede
Playing career	1988–2001

Nick Vitucci (born June 16, 1967, in Welland, Ontario) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. Currently, he is the head coach of the ECHL's Toledo Walleye.

In 2008, Vitucci was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame. Vitucci was joined by ECHL founder Henry Brabham, the league's first commissioner Patrick J. Kelly, and defenceman Chris Valicevic as members of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class.^[1]

Playing career

During his playing career, Vitucci spent most of his time as a journeyman in the ECHL, but had numerous call ups including stints in the IHL with the Peoria Rivermen and in the AHL with the Maine Mariners, Hershey Bears, and Binghamton Rangers. Vitucci also spent several summers in the RHI, with the Buffalo Stampede, Empire State Cobras, Buffalo Wings, and the New Jersey Rockin Rollers. During his career in the ECHL, Vitucci won four Riley Cups in 1989, 1990, 1994 and 1996 and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player on two occasions (1989 and 1996), one of only two players in the league's history to do so, and Goaltender of the Year in 1998. Vitucci spent at least some time in all of his 13 years of professional hockey in the ECHL and when he retired in 2001 Vitucci left as the league's career record holder in games played, minutes played, wins, most 20 win seasons, most 30 win seasons, and most losses.^[2]

Vitucci is the only goaltender in the history of professional hockey to be credited with a goal against a guarded net. In the 1996 season, while playing for the Charlotte Checkers, Vitucci shot the puck up the ice toward opposing goaltender Alain Morissette of the Louisville River Frogs. Morissette stopped the puck outside the goal, but spun and shot it into his own net while attempting a pass. As the most recent Checkers player to touch the puck, Vitucci was awarded a point scored against an opposing goalie—a unique feat in hockey history for any goaltender.^[3]

Career statistics

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1985–86	Toronto Marlboros	OHL		20	–	–	–	1203	108	0	5.39	–
1986–87	Toronto Marlboros	OHL		40	–	–	–	2456	213	0	5.20	–
1988–89	Carolina Thunderbirds	ECHL		22	11	9	0	1238	96	1	4.65	.873
1989–90	Winston-Salem Thunderbirds	ECHL		6	4	2	0	360	28	0	4.67	.856
1989–90	Greensboro Monarchs	ECHL		28	10	9	5	1496	114	0	4.57	.891
1990–91	Greensboro Monarchs	ECHL		41	22	16	2	2225	142	1	3.83	.898
1991–92	Greensboro Monarchs	ECHL		42	28	8	2	2358	136	0	3.46	.903
1991–92	Maine Mariners	AHL		1	0	0	1	65	3	0	2.77	.880
1991–92	Hershey Bears	AHL		4	2	1	0	191	15	0	4.71	.848
1992–93	Hampton Roads Admirals	ECHL		29	17	7	3	1669	85	1	3.06	.911
1992–93	Peoria Rivermen	IHL		8	3	4	1	279	27	0	3.38	.895
1993–94	Toledo Storm	ECHL		27	15	6	4	1532	93	0	3.64	.892
1993–94	Peoria Rivermen	IHL		11	3	4	1	422	35	0	4.98	.850
1994–95	Toledo Storm	ECHL		56	35	16	3	3273	176	3	3.23	.906
1995–96	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		48	32	13	3	2793	164	0	3.52	.891
1996–97	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		36	20	10	4	2028	117	0	3.46	.902
1996–97	Binghamton Rangers	AHL		2	0	0	2	129	9	0	4.18	.875
1997–98	Toledo Storm	ECHL		49	27	16	5	2826	130	2	2.76	.918
1998–99	Greenville Grrrowl	ECHL		32	9	17	4	1855	103	0	3.33	.896
1999–00	Greenville Grrrowl	ECHL		34	21	9	2	1916	79	1	2.47	.915
2000–01	Greenville Grrrowl	ECHL		29	14	12	2	1719	91	1	3.18	.895
AHL totals				6	2	1	3	385	27	0	4.21	–
IHL totals				19	6	8	2	701	62	0	5.31	–
ECHL totals				479	265	150	41	27288	1554	10	3.42	–
OHL totals				60	–	–	–	3659	321	0	5.26	–

Coaching career

Vitucci began his career as a coach during the 1994–95 season when he took up assistant coaching duties while playing for the Toledo Storm. Vitucci would have a second stint as a player/assistant coach during his final year as a player with the Greenville Grrrowl.

In 2002, Vitucci returned to Greenville to be their assistant coach and would leave to fill the assistant coach vacancy in Toledo after the season. Two months into the 2003–04 season, Toledo Storm head coach Steve Harrison was fired and Vitucci, who was his assistant at the time, was tabbed to be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. At the end of the season, the Storm signed Vitucci to be their permanent replacement for Harrison and has remained the team's coach through the team suspending operations in 2007 in order to construct the new arena.

In February 2008 it was announced he would be retained as the head coach for the Walleye, which will be his fifth season in Toledo. The Storm saw success under Vitucci's tenure as the team made the playoffs in all three years with Vitucci, including a division title in 2006 and reaching the American Conference Finals in the same year.^[4]

Coaching statistics

Team	Year	Regular Season						Post Season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	W	L	Win %	Result
Toledo Storm
	2003–04	49	14	27	8	36	7th in Northern	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
	2004–05	72	41	26	5	87	4th in North	1	3	.200	Lost in Division Semifinals
	2005–06	72	46	21	5	97	1st in North	7	6	.539	Lost in Conference Finals
	2006–07	72	39	30	3	81	2nd in North	0	3	.000	Lost in Division Semifinals
Toledo Walleye	2009–10	72	35	30	7	77	3rd in North	1	3	.250	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals
Total		335	175	132	28	.564		9	15	.375

References

1. ^ Monroe, Mark (January 23, 2008). "Vitucci named to ECHL Hall of Fame". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080123/SPORTS10/801230437. Retrieved July 15, 2008. 
2. ^ ECHL Regular Season – Individual Records
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ Vardon, Joe (February 13, 2008). "Ex-Storm coach Vitucci is first hire of next hockey team". Toledo Blade. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/SPORTS10/802130393. Retrieved July 15, 2008. 

External links

• Nick Vitucci's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database