Bill Pye

William "Billy" Pye is an American ice hockey coach and former goaltender who was an All-American for Northern Michigan and helped the team win its first National Championship in 1991.
==Career==
Pye arrived in Marquette in the fall of 1987 and served as a backup to Mike Jeffrey in his freshman season. He took over the starting role at the start of his sophomore season and provided an immediate boost in goal. NMU went from 6th to 2nd in the WCHA and Pye led the Wilcats to their first WCHA Championship, capturing MVP honors. Northern Michigan wasn't able to make it out of the First Round of the NCAA Tournament but the Buffalo Sabres had seen enough to select Pye in the 6th round of NHL Draft.
Pye had a rock year as a junior, seeing his goals against average swell by more than a goal per game. The team managed a middling season and lost two overtime games in the conference tournament to finish in 4th place. In Pye's senior season, however, everything turned up roses. Northern Michigan won its first WCHA regular season title and Pye finished in the top 10 in the nation. He led the country with 32 wins and was named an All-American. In the postseason he shut down some of the strongest offenses in the country, enabling NMU to win their second WCHA title and became the only player to earn two WCHA tournament MVP's. Northern Michigan received a bye into the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament and Pye proved solid in net while the offense ran over their opponents. NMU made its second championship appearance that year and the final game turned out to be one for the ages. Pye allowed three goals in the first but became a bulwark in the middle frame while the Wildcats scored five goals to take a commanding lead. Boston University, peppered with future NHL stars like Tony Amonte and Shawn McEachern, roared back with a 4-goal third and the two teams ended regulation with a 7–7 tie. The match became just the second championship game in history to need multiple overtime sessions and ended when Darryl Plandowski got the Wildcats the win in the third 10-minute extra frame.
After graduating, Pye began his professional career in the Sabres' minor league system. The closes Pye got to playing in the NHL was as an emergency call-up on two occasions. In November 1992, Dominik Hasek was suffering from a groin injury and Pye sat on the bench in game against the Ottawa Senators. He was replaced the following day by Clint Malarchuk. Almost two months later both Darren Puppa and Dominik Hasek were injured and Pye was recalled to serve as a backup for Tom Draper. He remained with the Sabres for a week but didn't play in any of the games. Pye was never able to find his form in the pro game and was progressively demoted until landing in the WPHL in the mid-90's. Pye had three 20-win seasons over a 4-year span and decided to call it quits in 2000. Upon his retirement as a player, Pye founded the "Billy Pye Goaltending Academy" and continued to operate the business in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
While operating his business, Pye served as the goaltending coach for a few local junior teams, including the Wichita Falls Wildcats. He was inducted into the Northern Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
==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%
1985–86 	St. Clair Shores Falcons	NAHL 		23 	13 	7 	2 	1315 	89 	0 	4.06 	.847 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1986–87 	Detroit Falcons 	NAHL 		20 	13 	4 	2 	1084 	60 	0 	3.32 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1987–88 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 		13 	3 	7 	0 	654 	49 	0 	4.49 	.872 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1988–89 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 		43 	26 	15 	2 	2533 	133 	1 	3.15 	.905 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 		36 	20 	14 	1 	2035 	149 	1 	4.39 	.860 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 		39 	32 	3 	4 	2300 	109 	4 	2.84 	.886 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	Fort Wayne Komets 	IHL 		8 	5 	2 	1 	451 	29 	0 	3.86 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	New Haven Nighthawks 	AHL 		4 	0 	3 	1 	200 	19 	0 	5.70 	.806 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 		8 	1 	4 	0 	332 	15 	0 	2.71 	.893 		1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	2.00 	.933
1991–92 	Erie Panthers 	ECHL 		5 	5 	0 	0 	310 	22 	0 	4.26 	.859 		4 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 		26 	9 	14 	2 	1427 	107 	0 	4.50 	.865 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 		19 	7 	7 	2 	980 	70 	0 	4.29 	.868 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL 		28 	15 	10 	2 	1578 	95 	1 	3.61 	.895 		3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Saginaw Wheels 	CoHL 		13 	5 	7 	0 	663 	51 	0 	4.83 	.836 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Columbus Chill 	ECHL 		25 	12 	5 	1 	1227 	92 	0 	4.50 	.855 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Waco Wizards 	WPHL 		46 	22 	21 	2 	2620 	159 	0 	3.64 	.885 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Waco Wizards 	WPHL 		15 	2 	11 	2 	860 	69 	0 	4.81 	.857 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Odessa Jackalopes 	WPHL 		42 	20 	18 	3 	2348 	175 	1 	4.47 	.891 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Odessa Jackalopes 	WPHL 		45 	20 	22 	2 	2549 	133 	2 	3.13 	.898 		3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	2.70 	.924
1999–00 	Odessa Jackalopes 	WPHL 		20 	5 	11 	2 	1069 	82 	0 	4.60 	.875 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Fort Worth Brahmas 	WPHL 		28 	7 	18 	2 	1625 	115 	1 	4.25 	.886 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NAHL totals	NAHL totals 	NAHL totals		43 	26 	11 	4 	2399 	149 	0 	3.73 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NCAA totals	NCAA totals 	NCAA totals		131 	81 	39 	7 	7522 	440 	6 	3.51 	.884 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 		57 	17 	28 	5 	2939 	211 	0 	4.31 	.865 		1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	2.00 	.933
ECHL totals	ECHL totals 	ECHL totals		58 	32 	15 	3 	3115 	209 	1 	4.03 	.877 		7 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
WPHL totals	WPHL totals 	WPHL totals		196 	76 	101 	13 	11071 	733 	4 	3.97 	.886 		3 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	2.70 	.924
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	
WCHA All-Tournament Team 	1989 	
All-WCHA First Team 	1990–91	
AHCA West Second-Team All-American	1990–91	
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 	1991 	
==References==
==External links==
*
*Billy Pye Goaltending Academy 
Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans
Category:American men's ice hockey goaltenders
Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey players
Category:Erie Panthers players
Category:Fort Wayne Komets players
Category:New Haven Nighthawks players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:South Carolina Stingrays players
Category:Saginaw Wheels players
Category:Columbus Chill players
Category:Waco Wizards players
Category:Odessa Jackalopes players
Category:Fort Worth Brahmas players
Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey national champions