SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - After three seasons behind the Mercyhurst University bench, former men's hockey assistant coach Peter Aubry has been named an assistant coach at Lake Superior State in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) in an annouoncement made by Lake Superior State head coach, Damon Whitten. Aubry will serve as the Lakers' defensive coach.

During his three seasons with the Lakers, Aubry performed a number of functions on the staff, including team systems, analysis, and implementation, particularly on the defensive side of the puck and on special teams. He also handled a number of "behind-the-scenes" duties as well which included video analysis and presentation, goaltender development, trip coordination, alumni relations, and recruiting, while also serving as the team's academic liaison.

"Peter did a tremendous job for us," said Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin. "He gave the Mercyhurst men's hockey program seven great years of service - including four years as an outstanding goaltender. He may be leaving us, but he'll always be a Laker."

Mercyhurst averaged 20 wins during Aubry's tenure on the staff, and, captured the program's first-ever Atlantic Hockey Association regular season title in 2013-14 - Mercyhurst hadn't won a regular season crown since being a member of the MAAC Hockey League in 2002-03. Aubry also helped a number of goaltenders develop during his three years, most notably Max Strang in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns and Jimmy Sarjeant last season. Sarjeant, in fact, was the Atlantic Hockey Association Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year last season under the guidance of Aubry.

Aubry, who was a goaltender for the Lakers from 1998-2002, returned to his alma mater for the 2011-12 season. He was a two-time MAAC Goaltender of the Year and won 55 career games for the Lakers, second only to Mercyhurst Hall of Fame inductee, Gary Bowles, who won 56. His 2.45 career goals-against-average is the best in school history among goaltenders with a significant amount of games.

But, he may be best known for leading the Lakers to the first round of the 2001 NCAA Division I tournament, after winning the MAAC Hockey League (now Atlantic Hockey Association) Championship over Quinnipiac and securing the first-ever automatic bid to postseason play for the conference. Aubry faced 51 shots, and stopped 47, in Mercyhurst's epic battle with perennial power Michigan. The Lakers lost the game 4-3, but the game will go down as arguably the most memorable game in school history.

Despite the loss and only appearing in one game at the regional, Aubry was named to the All-Tournament Team.

"That game put us on the hockey map," said Gotkin. "We had built a reputation of being a good program at the Division III and Division II levels, but that game helped us to turn the corner. It was an amazing feeling being on the bench for that game – little-known Mercyhurst against a well-known power like Michigan. And, to think that we had a chance to win in the end was even more incredible. Peter was awesome in that game and his performance, I think, helped raise his stock for a great career after college."

After his career at Mercyhurst, the Windsor, Ontario native started his professional career at the main camp of the Calgary Flames organization in 2002. Aubry signed with the Johnstown Chiefs of the East Coast Hockey League and also played three games for the American Hockey League's Saint John Flames. He had single season spells over the next two years in the United Hockey League for the Elmira Jackals and back in the ECHL with the Alaska Aces before moving to Great Britain in 2005, signing with the Cardiff Devils as their starting goalie. After other stints overseas in the UK and back in the states with the ECHL's Texas Wildcatters, Aubry signed with Ducs d'Angers in France, where he played his last two seasons.

All told, Aubry had a nine-year professional career after leaving Mercyhurst.

"We will certainly miss Peter a great deal," added Gotkin. "But, we wish him and his family nothing but the best in this new endeavor."

Aubry and has wife, Chantelle, have a three-year-old daughter, Vienna.