NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Bulldog Goaltender Pat Nagle

Pat Nagle Tribute

*Tampa Bay Lighting Media Release*

Ferris State University men's ice hockey standout Pat Nagle (Bloomfield) will be taking his goaltending talents to the National Hockey League (NHL) after signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning this Tuesday (March 22) in an announcement made by Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman.

Nagle, who inked a standard two-year entry-level contract with Tampa Bay, earned 2010-11 All-Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) First-Team recognition and was among three finalists for the CCHA RBC Player of the Year Award this season.

A Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate, Nagle registered an 18-14-5 record in net this season as a 37-game starter while producing a 2.02 goals-against average (74 goals allowed) and a .923 saves percentage (885 saves) in 2,192:41 minutes of action between the posts.  Nagle totaled 30 or more saves in a contest on nine occasions this campaign, which included a season game-high 37 stops at nationally-ranked Michigan (Jan. 14) and 36 saves versus nationally-ranked Miami (Nov. 6). 

Nagle, a 6-3, 185-pound netminder, was chosen as the CCHA's Goaltender of the Week (Nov. 8) and received Inside College Hockey.com First-Half All-CCHA Team accolades.  He was tabbed as a CCHA Preseason Second-Team honoree prior to the 2010-11 campaign.  Among this season's national statistical leaders, Nagle presently ranks fifth in goals-against average, 12th in save percentage, and 32nd in winning percentage (.554).

For his four-year (2007-11) career, Nagle amassed a 45-42-11 record with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .916 saves percentage in 101 appearances at Ferris State.  Nagle concludes a stellar career ranking tied for first place on the Bulldogs' all-time goaltending leaders in save percentage (.916), second in both victories (45) and goals-against average (2.32), third in minutes played (5,801:14), fourth in saves (2,451), tied for fourth in games played (101), fifth in shutouts (five), and sixth in winning percentage (.515).    

Nagle's signing represents the third Ferris State player on the 2010-11 team to ink a professional contract as two other seniors, left wing Mike Embach (Orland Park, Ill.) and defenseman Scott Wietecha (Wolverine Lake) have also joined the professional ranks.  Embach signed with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL) while Wietecha inked with the East Coast Hockey League's (ECHL) Elmira Jackals.

The three helped Ferris State to an 18-16-5 overall record with a fifth-place 12-12-4-3 (43 league points) record in the CCHA for the 2010-11 season.  The 18 victories achieved by the Bulldogs this campaign represented a tie for eighth-most single-season wins in the program's history.