Ubriaco turned to coaching and was in charge of the Lake Superior state hockey program by the 1972–73 season. After coaching in a number of leagues, Ubriaco was named Pittsburgh Penguins head coach in 1988, replacing Pierre Creamer. Ubriaco's 1988–1989 Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux's 85 goals and 199 points, as well as Rob Brown's 115 points, finished second in the Patrick Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. In the 1989 playoffs, the Penguins swept the New York Rangers before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games in the Patrick Division Final. Ubriaco's Penguins then got off to a slow start in the 1989–1990 season. Ubriaco as well as the man who hired him, Penguins general manager Tony Esposito, were both fired and replaced by Craig Patrick in December 1989.