Profile
Ben Lambert
Head Coach
Contact Email:
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COACHING BIO
In 2009, Ben began his coaching tenure, coaching the St. Louis Cobras of the Professional Inline Hockey Assoc. (PIHA). In his first year as Head Coach, he guided the Cobras to a first place finish in the Gateway Division, posting a 19-11-2 regular season record before sweeping the divisional playoffs 2-0 and 2-0 against the Southside Snipers and Midwest Tornados before falling to the eventual champion Colorado Springs Thunder in the Conference Finals. Ben was the recipient of the Southern Sports Coach of the Month Award in February 2009.
In 2009-2010, Ben became the Head Coach of the St. Louis Community College Magic. The Magic had a few growing pains in Ben's first year as head coach, but still had a respectable regular season and National Championship Tournament appearance. This year, he hopes to guide the Magic to their first ever NCRHA National Championship.
PLAYER BIO
Ben Lambert is one of the longest-tenured Tritons, and has been an important contributor to UMSL's rise to national college roller hockey prominence.
This season is Ben's final year of eligibility at UMSL. His engaging personality, emotional leadership, and competitive fire have earned him recognition as one of UMSL's alternate captains for the third straight season. On and off the rink, Ben's veteran presence is an integral part of the team's positive mindset. He is a committed team player whose toughness -- mental and physical -- is exceptional.
Lambert is a relentless battler with excellent speed who is rock-solid on his skates. He is a top-notch checker, always looking to pressure the puck and ignite the counterattack. He unleashes a heavy shot and shows good finishing ability around the net.
As the only member of the '01-02 Rivermen still with the club, and one of three remaining members of the '04 national championship squad (Doug Purk and Thomas Ames are the other), Ben has seen it all.
Ben's role has evolved as the club has developed into a strong national contender. Throughout his career, Ben has been better than a point-per-game scorer. In 2002-03, he led the Rivermen in regular-season scoring (15-7-22) and penalty minutes (34). Since then, he has maintained a point-per-game pace while exhibiting a rare level of discipline for such a physical player. Over the last two seasons, Lambert has averaged just one penalty per five games.
In 2005-06, Lambert set new career highs with 16 goals and 31 points during league play, finishing 12th in the GPCIHL DII scoring race. His 15 assists were ninth-best in the league. His 43 overall points ranked 46th in the nation. And Ben has proven his big-game ability.
In UMSL's highly-anticipated clash with five-time defending national champion Lindenwood on the first day of the 2007-08 season, Lambert scored a goal and added an assist to keep UMSL's upset bid alive. The Tritons fell short, eventually losing 7-3, but Lambert and linemates PJ Tallo, Adam Clarke, and Andy Meade carried UMSL offensively in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
In seven games during '05-06 against GPCIHL championship contenders Truman State and Wash-U, Lambert put up 14 points (9-5). In the two final-four games at the GPCIHL tournament, Ben scored three key goals and added an assist. He also scored two of UMSL's first three goals Feb. 4 against second-place Truman State in the biggest game of the regular season, helping ignite the Rivermen to a 9-2 victory. In all, he scored goals in eight of UMSL's 11 games against Wash-U, Truman, and Saint Louis.
Ben was a vital part of the 4-3 national championship-clinching win over Neumann in April 2004. One shift after Neumann had taken a 1-0 lead, Lambert knocked home a rebound to tie the score. In the third, Ben set the stage for Nationals MVP Dory Williams' championship-winning goal by securing a crucial penalty kill with less than five minutes to play and preserving a 3-3 tie. Williams, Lambert's linemate throughout the tournament, scored his now-legendary goal with 1:23 remaining, and UMSL won it all. To be a central part of a championship-clincher: it was a career highlight that any player in the nation would love to have. Now, in his final season at UM-St. Louis, Ben hopes to help lead his team to another championship.
2007-08
Great Plains Regional Championships (March 2): In his final collegiate game in St. Louis, Ben helped lead UMSL to a monumental, improbable 6-4 triumph over Lindenwood to win the Great Plains Division I championship . . . Had a goal and an assist in UMSL's quarterfinal win over Illinois State.
GPCIHL Regionals Weekend - Regular Season Wrap-up Saturday (March 1): Had a solid Saturday despite not scoring . . . Would help the team bounce back from the frustration of Saturday's 11-2 loss to Lindenwood to end his GPCIHL career in style the next day.
Fifth GPCIHL Event Weekend (Feb. 16-17): Scored a third-period goal in UMSL's weekend-opening win over Truman State . . . Season-high four assists, five points in Sunday win over Meramec . . . Now maintains a nine-game point streak, and has points in 15 of 16 games this season.
Fourth GPCIHL Event Weekend (Feb. 9-10): Lambert had points in each of UMSL's three games . . . Assists in wins over Illinois State and St. Charles CC on Saturday, and scored the first goal of the game in the Tritons' mercy-rule win over Meramec Sunday morning.
Jan. 26-27: Lambert finished first in the club's fastest-skater competition, completing a lap around the rink in 13.41 seconds in his third attempt (he finished his first attempt in 13.8 seconds, and his second in 13.6). Only two other skaters -- Doug Purk (13.8 twice) and Jason Holzum (13.9 once) broke the 14-second barrier. (It should be noted that Meade, Propp, Tallo, and Thompson have not yet been timed. At least two of the four would easily break 14 seconds.)
Third GPCIHL Event Weekend (Jan. 19-20): Ben was excellent in the first weekend of the second semester . . . Scored four goals, one in each game; each was the team's second goal of the game . . . Played beside star newcomer Blake Propp as first-semester linemate PJ Tallo moved from forward to defense . . . Lambert is now tied for second on the team and 9th in the league with 10 goals this season.
Second GPCIHL Event Weekend (Nov. 17-18): Opened second weekend with a two-assist performance in 5-0 UMSL win over Illinois ... Scored a top-shelf power-play goal in 8-0 win over Illinois State ... Finished first semester with five goals, eight points in seven games.
GPCIHL Season-Opening Weekend (Nov. 3-4): Played a huge role all weekend, paired with super frosh PJ Tallo on UMSL’s top forward line . . . Tied for the team lead with two points (1-1) vs. top-ranked Lindenwood; first-period goal tied the game 1-1, assisted on Tallo’s third-period marker that cut LU lead to 5-3 in eventual 7-3 decision . . . Scored a second-period goal in 10-0 win over Middle Tennessee State . . . Scored twice, including the game’s first goal just :48 in, as UMSL closed the weekend with a 6-3 victory over Mizzou.
2006-07
GPCIHL Regional Championship Tournament (March 4): Lambert became a two-time Great Plains champion as the Rivermen beat Wash U and Truman State to claim the league title . . . Scored two first-period goals in eventual 10-1 semifinal victory over Wash U . . . Ben continues to fine-tune his game, and it shows, as he has become more and more comfortable as a regular on the UMSL power play . . . Always starts strong; seven of his last ten points have been scored during first periods . . . Has scored a pair of goals in each of his last three GPCIHL semifinals ('05 and '06 vs. Truman State, '07 vs. Wash U), and has seven goals, nine points over the past three years in league semifinal and championship games.
Fifth GPCIHL Event Weekend (Feb. 10-11): Ben finally broke out offensively, scoring five goals in UMSL's three victories . . . Four of his six weekend points were scored in first periods . . . Scored mercy-clincher against Western Kentucky.
Fourth GPCIHL Event Weekend (Feb. 3-4): In UMSL's first high-stakes game of the season, the 4-3 loss to Truman State, Ben was one of the few UMSL players to perform at his best despite not scoring . . . Scored the first goal of the game in eventual 7-2 win over Wash U . . . Assisted on Cory Purk's goal on the first shift of the third period against Missouri State . . . Had his best defensive game of the season in 5-3 win over SLU.
Third GPCIHL Event Weekend (Jan. 20-21): Ben posted his second straight three-goal weekend, including his first multiple-goal game of the year . . . Showed a marked improvement in puckhandling skill due to a minor fundamental adjustment made over the semester break . . . Was one of UMSL's best forwards all weekend, and finished with four points . . . Involved in an altercation with a pair of SIUC players in the first game of the doubleheader after a SIUC player had speared Zach Stacy and boarded Adam Clarke on the same shift; finished the game with a season-high three points.
Second GPCIHL Event Weekend (Nov. 18-19): Three goals, four points in three games . . . Scored one goal in each game . . . First goal of the season Saturday vs. Missouri State tied the score 3-3 with :18 left in the second period; UMSL had trailed for almost 22 minutes after falling behind early, but would not trail again after Lambert's goal . . . Forced a turnover that led to an assist on Zach Stacy's third-period goal that gave UMSL a 6-4 lead in the eventual 7-5 win . . . Scored Saturday evening vs. Kansas State and Sunday vs. Western Kentucky . . . Currently has a three-game goalscoring streak.
GPCIHL Opening Weekend (Nov. 4-5): Failed to score, but was dangerous; put seventeen shots on goal in three games, including a team-high seven against Wash U; also blocked four shots in that game . . . Played on a forward line with Zach Stacy, who scored a team-high six points, tops among UMSL forwards . . . The line was on the floor for all three first-period even-strength goals vs. Wash U.
GAME LOG
Lambert is the club's vice president and treasurer. In September, he received a prestigious "best leader" award at the UMSL Student Life Leadership Retreat, which was attended by representatives of every recognized student organization on campus.
He has taken the organization to new heights in his first year as an executive.
2005-06
Named alternate captain before season . . . 46 points (23 g, 23 a) in 34 games . . . put up 31 points (16-15) during league play, 12th in GPCIHL DII . . . 16 goals tied for 11th in the league and 3rd on the team . . . Scored the first UMSL goal of the national championship tournament in the first period vs. Duquesne . . . Finished with three goals in seven games at Nationals . . . In the national semifinal vs. Brockport, Lambert had an outstanding game, which he finished off by assisting on Adam Clarke's overtime goal in the Rivermen's 2-1 victory . . . 16 points (9-7) in final eight league games . . . 9 goals, 14 points in seven games against league contenders Truman St. and Wash U . . . in GPCIHL DII championship game, scored with 3:52 left in third period to cut deficit to 3-2 in eventual 5-4 OT loss . . . scored two goals in :09 to give UMSL a 6-1 second-period lead in GPCIHL DII semifinal win vs. Truman State, finished game with 3 points (2-1) . . . two assists in GPCIHL tournament pool play vs. Missouri State, giving Lambert six points (3-3) in three games on Championship Sunday . . . Season-high four points (2-2) vs. Missouri State (2/11) . . . first hat trick of season vs. SIUC (2/5) . . . two first-period goals, assist in key 9-2 win vs. second-place Truman State (2/4) . . . in league play, had a 10-game point streak (11/6-2/4) . . . played through a serious injury to score four points in four games at the Winter Invitational (1/6-7) . . . scored goal to give UMSL 3-1 lead in key 5-3 win vs. Truman State (11/20) . . . During season-opening GPCIHL event, scored two consecutive goals to stretch a 2-1 lead to 4-1 vs. SLU (11/6) . . . later that day, scored twice and added an assist in a 9-4 win over Wash U. 2004-05
Video Highlights
Ben Lambert Highlight 1 - Lambert ignites the afterburners to score his 16th goal of the season (2/12/06 vs. SIUC). Ben Lambert Highlight 2 - Lambert scores twice in nine seconds to give UMSL a 6-1 lead over Truman State in the '06 GPCIHL DII semifinals.
Ben Lambert Highlight 3 - Lambert goes top-shelf to cut Wash U's lead to 3-2 with 3:52 left in the '06 GPCIHL DII championship game.
Video Extra
Rivermen Reels No. 4: Explicit
Hosted by Google
Length: 4:37
Music: Deftones, "Minus Blindfold"*
May 15, 2006
* - lyrics may not be suitable for young children
UM-St. Louis roller hockey forward Ben Lambert is featured in "Explicit," a five-minute highlight video featuring clips from UMSL games during the 2005-06 GPCIHL regular season, 2006 GPCIHL championships, 2006 Collegiate Roller Hockey National Championships, and 2004 Collegiate Roller Hockey National Championships.
Joined the team at the beginning of the second semester after sitting out the fall . . . scored ten goals in 15 total games . . . scored UMSL's first two goals (including second-period tiebreaker) in 6-1 GPCIHL tourney win over SLU . . . scored twice in GPCIHL semifinal win over Truman State.
2003-04 NCRHA DII National Champion . . . Averaged a point per game (4-3--7) at the national championship tournament while also playing a key checking and penalty-killing role . . . scored in the first period of the championship game vs. Neumann to tie the score 1-1.
2002-03 Led the team in regular-season scoring (
High School: St. Dominic '01 Starred for three seasons at St. Dominic . . . UMSL goaltender Thomas Ames was Lambert's teammate before transferring to Fort Zumwalt West for his senior year . . . Former Truman State goaltender Chris LePage was also a high-school teammate. |
