Since its formation seven years ago, the Pittsburgh Huskies’ Class AA amateur hockey team has done plenty of winning.

Two state championships, an International Silver Sticks Mid-Atlantic Regional crown and numerous tournament titles are only part of the program’s accomplishments.

Butler residents Dustin Davis, Nick Whann and Clay Bachman, along with Kittanning resident Christian Miller and Cody Krstonich of Springdale, have been with the program since its formation. Vic Whann, Nick’s father, has been the head coach.

“Cassie Miller, Christian’s mother, got it started,” Davis said. “We were all with the Armstrong Arrows and a few of us wanted to branch off and start a new team.”

Vic Whann, assistants Terry Davis and Carl Bachman of Butler, Doug Miller of Kittanning, and team manager Robin Whann have run the team for 10 years.

Nick Whann said the Pittsburgh Huskies had been around a few years “but were dying out. The core of us wanted to stay together, so we went over there.”

And they’ve been winning ever since.

Over the past six seasons, the Huskies have won 157 games, lost 58 and tied 17. Now playing in the U-18 division, they are 14-3-3 overall, including 9-1-1 and first place in the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League.

“The four of us have been playing hockey together for 12 years now,” Whann said. “Christian, Dustin and I have been on the same line for about nine years.

“We know what each other is going to do all of the time.”

Miller plays right wing and leads the team this year with 27 goals and 15 assists for 42 points. Davis, a center, has 15 goals and 33 points, left wing Whann seven goals and 23 points. Davis has been on the ice for 39 more goals scored than allowed. Davis is plus 38 and Whann plus 35 in that category.

“This is one of the strongest teams we’ve had,” Davis said.

Bachman is a goaltender who splits time between the pipes with Eric Phelps of Penn Trafford. Bachman has seven wins and a .910 save percentage on the year, stopping 238 of 262 shots.

“I face maybe 20 to 30 shots a game and most of them are from long range,” Bachman said. “Our defense is shut-down. They make things easy on me.

“I’ve been a goalie since I was 8. We keep adding skill to this team. The chemistry we have in the locker room is at a whole new level.”

Whann agreed.

“There are no egos on this team,” he said.

Miller plays for the Amstrong High School team as well as the Huskies. Krstonich, a defenseman, does not play for his high school. Whann plays for Butler High. Davis and Bachman are not playing high school hockey this year.

Roughly half of the Huskies’ 20-player roster plays high school hockey as well.

“It’s tough playing both,” Coach Whann said. “It’s a grueling schedule that lasts a long time. Most of those kids are on the ice five or six times a week.”

The Huskies practice each Wednesday and play games every weekend. The team begins practice in August and the playoffs don’t end until March. Nick Whann estimates he plays 130 hockey games a year while donning the Huskies and Golden Tornado uniforms.

“I do get tired,” he admitted. “But I love hockey. I’m at practice or a game pretty much every night. It can get a little overwhelming.”

Other Butler County players on the Huskies include winger Nick Makozy of Mars (10 goals and 10 assists), center Henry Sacchini, who also plays for Central Catholic, defensemen Dalton Scott and C.J. Campbell. Scott and Campbell play for Butler High School as well.

The Huskies travel as far as Wheeling, Altoona, Johnstown and Meadville to play regular season games and have an upcoming tournament in Canada.

“These guys are just used to playing together,” Coach Whann said. “We play teams who at least on the stat sheets, appear much better than us. We’re successful against them because of our continuity.

“Our players recognize their roles and perform them well. We have muckers, grinders, set-up guys and goal scorers working together.”

The core group won the U-16 Silver Sticks regional title in 2012. They were state champions in the U-12 age category in 2009. They were PAHL regular season champs in 2009, playoff champs in 2011.

They competed in the USA Hockey National Championships in North Carolina in 2009.

“It’s cool because other players look up to us as veterans on the team,” Bachman said. “And I think we can make another run at nationals this year.”