# Nick Ricci

Nicholas Joseph Ricci (born June 3, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1980 and 1983. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1979 to 1985, was mainly spent in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League.

## Playing career

Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Ricci played junior hockey for the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. He was drafted 94th overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins and signed with their organization that summer. He played the 1979–80 season for the Grand Rapids Owls of the IHL, and was called up to the Penguins to play four games. For the next three seasons, Ricci played several games each year for the Penguins, but played mostly in the minors. In 1983, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining the Leafs' AHL affiliate, the St. Catharines Saints. He split the 1983–84 season with the Saints and the Muskegon Mohawks of the IHL, and played one final season in the IHL in 1984–85 with the Peoria Rivermen.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
| 1976–77 | Niagara Falls Flyers | OMJHL | 7 | — | — | — | 309 | 32 | 0 | 6.21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 19788–79 | Niagara Falls Flyers | OMJHL | 52 | — | — | — | 3129 | 183 | 3 | 3.49 | — | 20 | — | — | 1172 | 54 | 1 | 2.66 | — |
| 1979–80 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 240 | 14 | 0 | 3.51 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Grand Rapids Owls | IHL | 29 | — | — | — | 1585 | 113 | 1 | 4.28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 536 | 35 | 0 | 3.92 | .861 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Binghamton Whalers | AHL | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 359 | 34 | 0 | 5.68 | .841 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 158 | 14 | 0 | 5.32 | .843 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | Erie Blades | AHL | 40 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 2254 | 175 | 0 | 4.66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 148 | 16 | 0 | 6.53 | .789 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Baltimore Skipjacks | AHL | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 486 | 41 | 0 | 5.06 | .871 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 15 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 597 | 47 | 0 | 4.72 | .854 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 13 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 764 | 59 | 0 | 4.63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Peoria Rivermen | IHL | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 423 | 30 | 0 | 4.26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1080 | 79 | 0 | 4.39 | .857 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

### Awards

* 1979 F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy - OMJHL Award for top rookie goaltender
* 1979 Dave Pinkney Trophy (shared with Glen Ernst) - OMJHL award to team with best goals against average.