The Lawrence County Amateur Hockey Association joined the PAHL in 1995 and continued the league's expansion in the areas north of Pittsburgh in the mid-1990s.

The Lightning have always played out of Hess Ice Rink, which is the only rink in Lawrence County.  It is located in Neshannock Township, which is immediately north of the city of New Castle, PA.  The rink was built in 1991, went through a major renovation in the mid-2010s, then received more upgrades due to earning a $100,000 grant from the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation in 2019 in their "Renovate the Rink" contest.

Despite drawing from a largely rural market, the Lightning have grown the game significantly in Lawrence County and annually field at least one co-ed team at every age division in the PAHL.  Several Lightning players advanced their careers to the NCAA and minor pro levels, and Lightning alumnus Stephen Johns played parts of four seasons in the NHL with the Dallas Stars.