Rob Hrytsak
Encyclopedia
Rob Hrytsak is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player.
of the All-American Hockey League
in January 1988. Hrytsak scored the first goal in Chiefs' history on January 13, 1988. At the 8:51 mark of the first period, Hrytsak stole a cross-ice pass at center ice and was alone on a breakaway. Hrytsak then lifted the puck over Carolina Thunderbirds' goaltender Bruce Billes shoulder. Hrytsak and the Chiefs won the first game in Chiefs' history 5-3. The Chiefs would finish the regular season 13-13-0 and Hrytsak would share the team lead in points with teammate Scott Rettew
with 61.
Hrytsak returned to Johnstown for the 1988-89 ECHL season and led the team in goals (40). Hrytsak's total was also second-highest in the ECHL, with only Virginia's
Mike Chighisola outscoring Hrytsak with 45 goals. Hrystak would lead the Chiefs to the inaugural Riley Cup Finals against the Carolina Thunderbirds. Hrytsak would have one of the best Finals performances in ECHL history, scoring 7 goals and 12 points against the Thunderbirds, but the Chiefs would lose the Finals to the Thunderbirds four games to three. Hrytsak's 7 goals in a Finals series remains an ECHL record and his 12 points in a Finals series was a record that has only been topped by two ECHL players since 1989 (Darren Schwartz and Devin Edgerton, both of the 1993 Wheeling Thunderbirds).
After a brief stint in Knoxville where he sat out most nights, Hrytsak returned to Johnstown in December 1990. He remained with the team until the completion of the 1991-92 season. In parts of 5 seasons with the Chiefs, Hrytsak scored 98 goals, 156 assists, and 254 points. Hrytsak's 254 remains an all-time Chiefs record, as the franchise has been inactive since the completion of the 2009-10 ECHL, and his 156 assists and 98 goals are respectively second and fourth-highest in franchise history.
. Hrystak led Iserlohner EC with 65 goals in only 46 games, which was the fourth highest total during the 1994-95 Oberliga season.
. Hrytsak also bounced between the Fort Worth Fire
of the WPHL and the Shreveport Mudbugs of the CHL
, scoring 30 points in 47 games between the two teams.
Hrytsak briefly returned to Germany to join the Dinslakener Cobras, a fourth-tier German club-level team. In 8 post-season games with the team, Hrytsak scored twenty-four points and accumulated ninety-nine penalty minutes. He retired at the completion of the 1999-2000 season.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player.
AAHL/ECHL
After two years of junior hockey in Canada, Hrytsak joined the Johnstown ChiefsJohnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
of the All-American Hockey League
All-American Hockey League
The All-American Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization formed in 1972 with teams based in the Upper Midwest and Great lakes regions of the United States as the Continental Hockey League. In 1986 the league folded and the Danville, Dayton, Troy went on to form the All-American Hockey...
in January 1988. Hrytsak scored the first goal in Chiefs' history on January 13, 1988. At the 8:51 mark of the first period, Hrytsak stole a cross-ice pass at center ice and was alone on a breakaway. Hrytsak then lifted the puck over Carolina Thunderbirds' goaltender Bruce Billes shoulder. Hrytsak and the Chiefs won the first game in Chiefs' history 5-3. The Chiefs would finish the regular season 13-13-0 and Hrytsak would share the team lead in points with teammate Scott Rettew
Scott Rettew
Scott Rettew is a retired American professional ice hockey player.-Career:Rettew turned professional in 1985, skating with the New York Slapshots of the ACHL, finishing fourth in the team in scoring with 48 points in 56 games....
with 61.
Hrytsak returned to Johnstown for the 1988-89 ECHL season and led the team in goals (40). Hrytsak's total was also second-highest in the ECHL, with only Virginia's
Virginia Lancers
The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...
Mike Chighisola outscoring Hrytsak with 45 goals. Hrystak would lead the Chiefs to the inaugural Riley Cup Finals against the Carolina Thunderbirds. Hrytsak would have one of the best Finals performances in ECHL history, scoring 7 goals and 12 points against the Thunderbirds, but the Chiefs would lose the Finals to the Thunderbirds four games to three. Hrytsak's 7 goals in a Finals series remains an ECHL record and his 12 points in a Finals series was a record that has only been topped by two ECHL players since 1989 (Darren Schwartz and Devin Edgerton, both of the 1993 Wheeling Thunderbirds).
After a brief stint in Knoxville where he sat out most nights, Hrytsak returned to Johnstown in December 1990. He remained with the team until the completion of the 1991-92 season. In parts of 5 seasons with the Chiefs, Hrytsak scored 98 goals, 156 assists, and 254 points. Hrytsak's 254 remains an all-time Chiefs record, as the franchise has been inactive since the completion of the 2009-10 ECHL, and his 156 assists and 98 goals are respectively second and fourth-highest in franchise history.
Europe
Hrytsak played two seasons in Germany's OberligaOberliga (Ice Hockey)
The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:...
. Hrystak led Iserlohner EC with 65 goals in only 46 games, which was the fourth highest total during the 1994-95 Oberliga season.
Return to North America
Hrytsak returned to the minors at the start of the 1996-97 season, and split time between four clubs, with three of them based in the WPHLWestern Professional Hockey League
The Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
. Hrytsak also bounced between the Fort Worth Fire
Fort Worth Fire
The Fort Worth Fire were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. Their home games were played in the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. They began operations in 1992 and ceased operations in 1999....
of the WPHL and the Shreveport Mudbugs of the CHL
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
, scoring 30 points in 47 games between the two teams.
Hrytsak briefly returned to Germany to join the Dinslakener Cobras, a fourth-tier German club-level team. In 8 post-season games with the team, Hrytsak scored twenty-four points and accumulated ninety-nine penalty minutes. He retired at the completion of the 1999-2000 season.
Awards And Accomplishments
- January 13, 1988, First goal in franchise history (Johnstown Chiefs)
- 1987-88, Most Assists, (Johnstown Chiefs), 45
- 1987-88, Most Points (Johnstown Chiefs, tied with Scott Rettew), 61
- 1988-89, Most Goals (Johnstown Chiefs), 40
- 1988-89, Most Goals, Riley Cup Final (Johnstown Chiefs), 7
- 1988-89, Most Points, Riley Cup Final (Johnstown Chiefs), 12
- 1988-89, All-ECHL Team
- 1994-95, Most Goals (Iserlohner EC), 65
- 1994-95, Most Assists (Iserlohner EC), 66
- 1994-95, Most Points, (Iserlohner EC) 131