Veteran Goalie Made U.S. Olympics Team
August 15, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are pleased to announce that goalie Pat Nagle has re-signed for the 2022-23 season.
Nagle, 34, was a valuable piece of the team’s goaltending depth in 2021-22 playing a personal-high 22 AHL games in a season going 10-6-6 with a 2.74 goals-against average and .904 save percentage. Nagle also played in 17 games with the Reading Royals of the ECHL where he was 11-3-3, 2.41, .925.
First-year head coach Ian Laperrière is thrilled to welcome Nagle back to the team after leaning heavily on the veteran netminder last year.
“I’m very excited,” Laperrière said. “He’s a pro’s pro. And I like having him around. He played good hockey for us last year. He’s a guy that, I know as an ex-player, you want to play hard in front of a guy like that because you know he gives his all.”
Nagle received a tremendous honor when he was selected to join the USA Olympics Team that competed in Beijing, China in February. The journeyman goalie received the incredible tribute and opportunity of a lifetime following a torrid start with the Phantoms during which he was undefeated in regulation through his first 10 games going 7-0-3, 2.37, .911.
In his last game before departing for the Olympics, Nagle recorded his first career AHL shutout on January 29, 2022, in a 4-0 triumph at Hartford in which he had 26 saves.
Nagle later set a Lehigh Valley team record for most saves in a shutout victory with an amazing 42-denial performance at the Hershey Bears on April 23, 2022, in a 2-0 win.
The accomplished goaltender is third all-time in ECHL history with 202 career wins. On March 13, 2022, he became just the fifth goaltender in the ECHL to reach the 200-win milestone in a Reading Royals 3-2 win against Wheeling
For his career, Nagle has played in 62 AHL games, mostly with Lehigh Valley and Grand Rapids, going 26-24-8, 2.70, .905. He has played the majority of his games in the ECHL where he has suited up for 345 contests recording an all-time record of 202-86-36 with a 2.58 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in a career that has included ECHL stints with Florida, Idaho, Fort Wayne, Toledo and Reading as well AHL stops in Syracuse, Rochester, Utica, Grand Rapids, and Lehigh Valley.
“In practice, he never gives up on plays,” Laperrière said. “He’s a great teammate in the locker room. He’s probably going to battle to be our call-up goalie. It’s not a sure thing for him. I think he liked our coaching staff and that’s why I think he decided to come back to us which I’m very about.”
Nagle won the ECHL Kelly Cup with the Florida Everblades as a rookie in 2011-12 when he posted a 1.42 GAA in the postseason. He also backstopped the Toledo Walleye to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2018-19 in a run that included 14 postseason wins.
Pat and his wife, Monica, are parents to two young children, Bryson and Sloan.
PPL Center is pleased to welcome the return of hockey on Friday, September 16, and Saturday, September 17 featuring the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers in a pair of compelling Rookie Games. Tickets for the Flyers vs. Rangers Rookie Series are on sale now by clicking HERE
Opening Weekend for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center is Saturday, October 22, and Sunday, October 23 against the Cleveland Monsters.
Download the Phantoms Schedule to your calendar HERE
Printable Phantoms Schedule HERE
Partial Plans are on sale NOW! Click the link to take a look at the games included in each plan! https://phantoms.hockey/PartialPlans
