Ice Chips 10/16/2026

PORT HURON PROWLERS at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

Best Period, Third Period

By Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY - The Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Port Huron Prowlers 6-1 on Friday night. Chance Gorman scored twice for the second-straight game this season, Ivan Bondarenko recorded his second-straight three-point night, and Dominik Tmej earned his second victory of the season.

In the first of many Division Finals rematches this season, neither side was able to find the back of the net in the first period. With just one penalty aside, Binghamton generated 15 shots on goal, but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.

The scoring started in the second period but really got going in the third. Ivan Bondarenko opened the scoring with power play goal at 2:23, his third of the young season. Port Huron found the equalizer for the time being at 9:44. That is where the scoring stopped in the second, as the last 10 minutes were tight checking without too many grade-a opportunities.

Binghamton saved their best for the last period. Five unanswered goals in the final frame propelled the Black Bears to victory. Chance Gorman’s first goal of the night turned out to be the game-winning tally. CJ Stubbs continued to score, Scott Ramaekers blasted his first goal of the season and Nick Cyprian scored in the empty net. Gorman added another power play tally at the end of game, capping off the night with a 6-1 victory for the hometown Black Bears. Binghamton improves to 2-0-0 with 4pts on the season.

Prowlers Fall in Season Opener

By Will Wiegelman

Binghamton, NY - The Port Huron Prowlers began their season with a 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Binghamton Black Bears on Oct. 16 in Binghamton. A three-goal onslaught in under three minutes in the third period propelled the Bears to the win.

“A lot of mistakes were made–on both sides,” said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. “It was a very sloppy game so [there’s] a lot of opportunity for growth. One thing I was surprised of was I thought we played very, very timid.”

It was 1-1 heading into the final frame of regulation after Ivan Bondarenko and Matt Graham traded goals in the second. Chance Gorman gave Binghamton the lead but the goal was challenged by Port Huron for goaltender interference. Unlike a Prowlers goal that was overturned earlier in the period for a high stick, this one stood and the Bears got the lead and a power play. 1:09 into the man advantage, CJ Stubbs made it 3-1. Scott Ramaekers finished the three-goal run 1:18 later; prompting a Port Huron timeout.

Nick Cyprian hit the empty net and Gorman added another to round out the scoring in the game’s final minutes.

Andrew MacLean took the loss in his pro debut after making 37 saves.

Gorman led the way with four points for Binghamton. Stubbs and Bondarenko added a pair of helpers apiece to their goals while Dominik Tmej made 18 stops in the win.

The teams wrap up the weekend series on Oct. 17 at 7 P.M. from Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. Live coverage begins at 6:30 on the PHP Network YouTube channel.

COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS

Marcinkevics Carries 'Cats To Opening Night Victory

By Brett Wiseman

Wytheville, VA - The league's leading scorer last season picked right up where he left off, just in a new sweater. Patriks Marcinkevics racked up four points (2G, 2A), and behind him and 32 saves from the night's first star Gabe Rosek, the Blue Ridge Bobcats picked up a 5-3 win over the Columbus River Dragons before a crowd of 1,662 on Opening Night at Hitachi Energy Arena.

Alex Storjohann, who scored all three Columbus goals on the night, began the scoring just 37 seconds into the contest. Marcinkevics opened his Roar County account on a shorthanded breakaway, sniping a shot past Trevor Babin after poke checking a turnover at center ice.

Things remained even at 1 until the 7:49 mark of the middle frame when Storjohann struck again off a rebound. Vladislav Vlasov responded less than three minutes later, banking the puck in off a River Dragon defender for his first Bobcats goal since April of 2025. Storjohann again answered to complete his natural hat trick, again hopping on and putting home a rebound at the 11:55 mark of the second.

The Bobcats exploded in the third, with a pair of goals from James Tepper and captain Carson Andreoli in the first 3:02 of the final frame. Marcinkevics added the exclamation point at the 11:44 mark of the third.

Special teams played a key role, as 4 of the Bobcats five goals came either shorthanded or on the power play.

Vlasov took home third star for his multi-point effort.

Both teams rematch tomorrow night at 7:00 for Pink in the Rink Night at Hitachi Energy Arena.

Storjohann Records Natural Hat Trick in River Dragons’ Season-Opening Loss

By Devin Dobek

Wytheville, VA - The Columbus River Dragons opened their 2026-27 campaign Friday night against the Blue Ridge Bobcats, beginning a road-opening weekend with the first of two consecutive meetings between the clubs. Despite a natural hat trick from franchise all-time leading goal scorer Alex Storjohann, Columbus was unable to hold off a late Blue Ridge surge, falling by a final score of 5-3.

The River Dragons wasted little time getting on the board. Just 34 seconds into the opening period, Storjohann opened the scoring with a shot from below the goal line that deflected off the pads of Bobcats goaltender Gabe Rosek and into the net. Reigning FPHL Most Valuable Player Tyler Barrow recorded the assist, opening his scoring account for the new season.

The two teams traded opportunities throughout the remainder of the first period as both sides worked to find their rhythm in their season debut. Columbus earned its first power-play opportunity following an illegal-equipment penalty to Ezekiel Kirkness, but Blue Ridge capitalized on a turnover to respond shorthanded. Patricks Marcinkevics broke in alone and beat the goaltender with a well-placed flip shot to even the score at 1-1. The Bobcats held a narrow 16-15 advantage in shots through the opening 20 minutes.

Blue Ridge carried its momentum into the second period, generating sustained offensive pressure while River Dragons goaltender Trevor Babin kept the game level. Columbus was held without a shot on goal until the 7:49 mark, when Storjohann found a loose puck in the crease and buried his second goal of the evening to restore the River Dragons' lead.

The Bobcats responded less than three minutes later, with Vladislav Vlasov finding the back of the net in his return to the ice. Marcinkevics and Martin assisted on the equalizer, bringing the score to 2-2.

Storjohann answered once again at 11:55, taking a feed from Austin Daae and firing a snapshot past Rosek to complete the natural hat trick and give Columbus a 3-2 advantage. Rookie defenseman Jack Cullen also picked up an assist on the play, recording his first professional point.

Babin delivered a spectacular post-to-post save late in the second period to preserve the River Dragons' lead, but the goaltender would not return for the third due to a simultaneous injury. Despite being outshot 17-4 in the middle frame, Columbus carried its one-goal advantage into the final intermission.

Rookie goaltender Douglas Wakelyn made his professional debut to begin the third period, facing an immediate challenge as the River Dragons opened the frame shorthanded. Blue Ridge captain Carson Andreoli capitalized on the power play just 31 seconds into the period, tying the contest at 3-3.

The Bobcats seized their first lead of the night two and a half minutes later when James Tepper scored shorthanded in his professional debut, putting Columbus behind 4-3. The River Dragons pushed to find an equalizer, but Rosek and the Blue Ridge defense held firm. Marcinkevics added his second goal of the night at 11:44, capping a four-point performance in his Bobcats debut and extending the lead to 5-3.

Columbus was unable to mount a late comeback, dropping its season opener despite Storjohann's three-goal performance. Blue Ridge finished with a 46-38 advantage in shots on goal.

The River Dragons will have an opportunity to respond Saturday night when they face the Bobcats in the second game of the opening-weekend series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Hitachi Energy Arena.

DANBURY HAT TRICKS at WATERTOWN WOLVES

Wolves Lose Home Opener, 9-5

By Connor LaLone

Watertown, NY - Under new ownership, new coaching, in a newly named arena and with several familiar faces back in the lineup, the 3x Commissioners Cup Champion Watertown Wolves played their home opener Friday night vs the Danbury Hat Tricks.

At 2:34 in the first period, Wolves Captain Dustin Henning inadvertently kicked a Sam Barnitz centering feed into his own net, past starting goaltender Anthony Shrum. The Wolves answered well just a few moments later as Bret Parker slapped home a pass from Taylor Cutting, who had just been released from serving a penalty for tripping. (5:57) The Wolves would take the lead on another even strength effort at 9:54 when Hunter Hall scored with assists from Donovan Powell and Brendan Hussey, (making his return to Watertown). Genaro Fronduto re-tied the game at 10:21 and the Hat Tricks would add 3 more unanswered to make it a 5-2 lead. Jordon Kromm and Kevin Johnston found the back of the net, with the latter scoring twice.

Watertown again rallied and scored two in quick succession as Donovan Powell and Blake Peavey both tallied. Gavin Abbott, Dillon St-Ann Spinner and Brendan Hussey all picked up assists.

Danbury picked up two power-play markers in the second period, as Alternate Captain Stefan Miklakos scored from Fronduto and Rivers at 9:38 and Levi Wunder deposited a Frady Friedman assist at 12:45.

The visiting power-play picked up where it left off at 11:29 of the third period as Miklakos picked up his second, unassisted. Brett Parker added his second on a short handed goal assisted from Michael Mania, who made a nifty play poking the puck along to himself in the neutral zone before centering the puck for Parker.

Things got chippy in the later stages and the penalties began to pile up against Watertown, and Johnston picked up his hat-trick for the Hat Tricks at 19:15 skating with an extra man.

The Wolves will look to clean up their play and stay out of the box as they face off with Danbury again tomorrow night at 7:05 in the Northern Credit Union Community Arena.

DANBURY DEFEATS WATERTOWN 9-5 IN HIGH-SCORING SEASON OPENER

By Patrick Grudberg

Watertown, NY - The Danbury Hat Tricks won their season opener on Friday night vs the Watertown Wolves, winning a high-scoring 9-5 game. The team improves to 1-0, securing their first opening night win since the 2022-23 start.

The scoring began early when Sam Barnitz sent a puck towards the crease that slipped past Nolan Egbert, giving the Hat Tricks a 1-0 lead. Watertown responded shortly after with goals from Bret Parker and Hunter Hall. But only 27 seconds after the Wolves took the lead, Genaro Fronduto responded, tying it at 2-2. The Hat Tricks added three more goals (Jordon Kromm and two from Kevin Johnston), jumping out to a 5-2 lead. Watertown finished off a high-octane first period with two goals from Donovan Powell and Blake Peavey, leaving the score at 5-4 after a nine-goal opening frame.

Things slowed down in the second as Danbury tightened up their defense. On consecutive powerplays, Stefan Miklakos and Levi Wunder cashed in on the man-advantage, netting their first goals for the franchise. With the score at 7-4 after two periods, Danbury would add another halfway through the third period, with Miklakos scoring again on the powerplay. Bret Parker pulled one back for Watertown, but Kevin Johnston put things to bed as he netted a hat trick in his professional debut.

After a 9-5 win tonight, the Hat Tricks will look to complete their sweep tomorrow night in Watertown.

INDIANA SENTINELS at TOPEKA SCARECROWS

Scarecrows Shut Out Sentinels in Season Opener

By Jon Kliment

Topeka, KS - Topeka opened up its season at home against the Indiana Sentinels after they both entered the league together last season. These two squads opened up last season in Indiana and saw opposite fortunes throughout the season.

The Scarecrows took a bit to get going, but after Tyler Inlow exited the box after a penalty he came streaking in on Cooper Olson and after having his initial shot blocked Inlow grabbed his own rebound and put it home five hole for the 1-0 lead 6:04 into period two.

Early in the third period while on a five on three power play Jacob Gagnon threw a puck at the net Olson couldn't handle and Trygve Many Guns shoveled home the rebound just 1:10 into the period.

Sammy Bernard put up a perfect performance from there stopping 21 of 21 for his first shutout of the season.

Topeka returns to action tomorrow night at 7:05pm against Indiana for free poster schedule night.

Sentinels Silenced by Scarecrows, Lose 2-0

By Andy Poetzinger

Topeka, KS - Last season, the Indiana Sentinels and the Topeka Scarecrows met each other 14 times starting a heated rivalry between the two squads. This year, the Scarecrows were moved to the Frontier Division in the Western Conference, so there will only be 8 meetings this year.

The Sentinels certainly had an advantage coming into the hockey game having already gotten their season started last weekend with a sweep against the Minnesota Northern Lights. Topeka pulled out all the stops by bringing a raucous crowd to Landon Arena as well as a full opening night pre-game show.

Unfortunately for the Scarecrows, the pre-game show was the most exciting part of the first period for them as the Sentinels shut down Topeka every step of the way. Indiana hit Topeka with perfectly executed forechecks, creating confusion and turnovers from the Scarecrows.

Even with two power-play attempts, the Scarecrows were unable to get much of anything done and the period ended scoreless with shots tied at eight after the first.

The script flipped in the second period as the Scarecrows tossed the Sentinels game right back in their face. The Sentinels did not have any room to move, which resulted in creating botched passes and frustration.

Topeka would open the scoring with Tyler Inlow getting a breakaway as soon as his penalty was over. The first shot was stopped by Cooper Olson, but Inlow stuck with the rebound and poked it through the five hole to give the Scarecrows a 1-0 lead.

That lead would stand for the remaining fourteen minutes in the second period. After two periods, shots were 17-15 in favor of Indiana.

Jonas Leas was guilty of a delay of game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass at the end of the second period, putting the Sentinels down a man to begin the third. Jason Tynan would take a penalty 39 seconds into the period, giving the Scarecrows a five-on-three advantage.

It would not take long for the Scarecrows to come through on that powerplay as Trygve Many Guns swiped home a Gordon Whalen shot that slipped through Cooper Olson to give the Scarecrows a 2-0 lead.

The Sentinels pushed in the latter stages of the third but were unable to convert and the Scarecrows walked away with a 2-0 victory in game one of the weekend.

Indiana went 0-for-5 on the Powerade Powerplay, while the Scarecrows went 1-for-4 on their man advantage opportunities. Shots at the end of the game went in favor of Topeka 23 to 21.

These two teams wrap up the weekend tomorrow with puck drop at 8:05 pm ET. We will have the Body Armor Pre-Game Show with Andy Poetzinger starting at 7:50 pm ET. You can catch all the action on the Sentinels Hockey Network.

INDIANA SENTINELS at TOPEKA SCARECROWS

Scarecrows Shut Out Sentinels in Season Opener

By Jon Kliment

Early in the third period while on a five on three power play Jacob Gagnon threw a puck at the net Olson couldn't handle and Trygve Many Guns shoveled home the rebound just 1:10 into the period.

Sammy Bernard put up a perfect performance from there stopping 21 of 21 for his first shutout of the season.

Topeka returns to action tomorrow night at 7:05pm against Indiana for free poster schedule night.

Sentinels Silenced by Scarecrows, Lose 2-0

By Andy Poetzinger

Even with two power-play attempts, the Scarecrows were unable to get much of anything done and the period ended scoreless with shots tied at eight after the first.

That lead would stand for the remaining fourteen minutes in the second period. After two periods, shots were 17-15 in favor of Indiana.

It would not take long for the Scarecrows to come through on that powerplay as Trygve Many Guns swiped home a Gordon Whalen shot that slipped through Cooper Olson to give the Scarecrows a 2-0 lead.

The Sentinels pushed in the latter stages of the third but were unable to convert and the Scarecrows walked away with a 2-0 victory in game one of the weekend.

Indiana went 0-for-5 on the Powerade Powerplay, while the Scarecrows went 1-for-4 on their man advantage opportunities. Shots at the end of the game went in favor of Topeka 23 to 21.

MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at MINNESOTA NORTHERN LIGHTS

Minnesota Loses a Heartbreaker at Home in Overtime to the Rockers in Minnesota's Inaugural Home Opener

By Brett Hanson

Thief River Falls, MN - A fight on the opening face off between Connor Nagy of the rockers in Geronimo white duck of the northern lights, starts the night for the Minnesota Northern lights vs The motor city Rockers.

At the 17:21 mark of the first period the northern lights get on the score sheet with the goal from Chris Corgan assisted by Max Arlt that was the first goal for Corgan and the first point for Max Arlt the Thief River Falls Native.

At the 917 mark in the first period Minnesota gets their second goal and his first as a Northern light Cal Miska with the assist from Declan Conway and Hunter Alden.

The motor City rockers get on the board with 310 left in the first period with his first of three goals this one on the PP TJ Sneath in the assist To Yberra.

In the second period Minnesota Northern lights get their third goal from Will Tricarico and the assist to Kylow monkman. Minnesota goes up four to one at the 3:50 mark with the second goal from Cal Miska assisted by Declan Conway and Max Arlt.

Sneath gets his second of the game shortly after at the 239 mark of the second period with the assist from Welch and Yberra.

In the third period it was all rockers with two goals to tie the game one coming at the 1228 mark his third of the game for the Hattrick Sneath on the power-play again from Dakota Bohn and Yberra.

The tying marker came off Welch is stick from Yberra.

Davis scored the overtime winner to send all the NORTHERN lights fans home angry with an overtime winner at the three minute mark.

Lenz for the northern lights made 15 saves on 20 shots.

And for the rockers, Gonzalez makes 31 saves on 35 shots. Game two is tomorrow night with puck drop at 6 PM central time.

Rockers Erase Three Deficit Thank to Sneath Hat Trick, Down Minnesota 5-4 in OT

Rockers Revival Ends With Wild Comeback

By Brady Beedon

Thief River Falls, MN - When you haven't played a game in over 500 games, you have to come back with a bang.

The Motor City Rockers defeated the Minnesota Northern Lights 5-4 in overtime in their first game back since going dormant during the 2025-26 season.

The Rockers erased a three goal deficit en route to the victory.

Minnesota scored early in the first when Chris Corgan beat Rico Gonzalez to bring the score to 1-0.

Later in the period, the Northern Lights would score again when Cal Miska poked in a rebound to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Rockers answered on the powerplay, when TJ Sneath walked a puck up to the bottom of the left wing circle, then fired a shot past Matt Lenz to get the Rockers on the board.

After 20 minutes the Rockers faced a 2-1 deficit.

Minnesota extended the lead on a shot that fluttered by a screened Gonzalez to balloon the lead to 3-1.

The Northern Lights lead would continue to grow when a turnover lead to a two-on-one opportunity that ended with the puck in the back of the net, bringing the Minnesota advantage to 4-1.

That was the moment that woke the Rockers up.

With just a few minutes to go in the middle period, Sneath got his second of the night on a rebound to bring the deficit to a pair of goals.

Heading into the third, Motor City trailed 4-2. Early in the period, it was Sneath that tickled the twine again to record the hat trick, and bring the score to 4-3 Minnesota.

Play would battle in the neutral zone for the next 10 minutes before Trenton native Drew Welsch pinged a shot off the far post past Lens, tying the game at four a side.

Both sides traded chances during the final minutes of regulation, but both netminders stood tall, ultimately leading to overtime.

After failing to score on the powerplay, Jhuwon Davis carried the puck into the zone, looked off the defenders before sniping the top corner to give Motor City the 5-4 overtime win.

The win gave Motor City their first win in their rebirth season, and two points on the night.

The loss marked the third straight game in which the Northern Lights held a two goal lead, and ultimately lost.

The two teams will duke it out again tomorrow at Ralph Englestad Arena, with a 7p.m. eastern puck drop.

You can watch all Rockers games for free on the Rockers Media Network on YouTube.

MID-SOUTH MONARCHS at FRESNO FALCONS

FALCONS SOAR PAST MONARCHS 5–0, ROUDEBUSH SHINES IN SHUTOUT VICTORY

Fresno dominates Mid-South with 56 shots on goal in front of 4,233 fans at Selland Arena during Pink at the Rink Night

By Bryan Flores

Fresno, CA - The Fresno Falcons continued their electrifying start to the 2026–27 Federal Prospects Hockey League season Friday night, delivering a commanding 5–0 shutout victory over the Mid-South Monarchs in front of 4,233 fans at Selland Arena.

Behind a 16-save shutout performance from goaltender Austyn Roudebush, an explosive four-goal second period, and a relentless offensive attack that generated 56 shots on goal, Fresno secured its third consecutive victory to begin the season.

Friday's contest also marked the Falcons' Pink at the Rink Night, bringing the Central Valley community together for an evening of hockey and breast cancer awareness.

Falcons Break Through with Four-Goal Second Period

After a scoreless opening period in which Fresno outshot Mid-South 19–8, the Falcons erupted offensively in the middle frame.

Aaron Huffnagle broke the deadlock at 7:12 of the second period, finding the back of the net with assists from Gavin Mears and Noah Finstrom to put Fresno ahead 1–0.

The Falcons doubled their advantage at 11:22 when Trey Deloury capitalized on the power play, converting a feed from Huffnagle to make it 2–0.

Fresno continued to apply pressure, and Austin Albrecht added another power-play tally at 16:39 to extend the lead to three.

Less than a minute later, Hugo Koch joined the scoring parade, finding the back of the net at 17:27 off an assist from Wynston Iserhoff to give the Falcons a commanding 4–0 advantage heading into the final period.

Fresno's offensive dominance was on full display throughout the second period, as the Falcons unleashed an astonishing 33 shots on goal while limiting Mid-South to just three.

Wilson Strikes Shorthanded, Roudebush Slams the Door

The Falcons refused to take their foot off the gas in the third period.

At 12:33, Houston Wilson added the finishing touch with a shorthanded goal, assisted by Huffnagle, extending Fresno's lead to 5–0.

The tally continued Wilson's impressive early-season production, following his two-shorthanded-goal performance during Fresno's historic home opener on October 9.

Meanwhile, Roudebush remained composed between the pipes, turning aside all 16 shots he faced to preserve the shutout.

Fresno's penalty-killing unit was equally impressive, shutting down all six Mid-South power-play opportunities. The Falcons also converted twice on 10 opportunities with the man advantage.

Huffnagle led the offensive charge with a three-point performance, recording a goal and two assists, while five different Falcons found the back of the net.

Mid-South netminder Thomas Nappier faced an overwhelming 56-shot barrage, making 51 saves despite the loss.

Another Memorable Night at Selland Arena

Just one week removed from the Falcons' historic return to Selland Arena, Friday's performance provided another memorable chapter in the franchise's comeback season.

After welcoming a record-setting crowd of 7,977 for their home opener, the Falcons continued to enjoy tremendous support from the Central Valley faithful, with 4,233 fans attending Friday's shutout victory.

Through their first three games, the Falcons have outscored their opponents 17–4, establishing an early offensive rhythm while demonstrating an ability to control games at both ends of the ice.

Up Next: Kris Porter's Jersey Retirement Night

The Falcons return to action Saturday, October 17, when they conclude their weekend series against the Mid-South Monarchs at Selland Arena.

Saturday's contest will feature a special celebration of Fresno hockey history as the organization honors Falcons legend Kris Porter with his jersey retirement.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PDT.

Monarchs Bested In California

By Cole Parenti

Fresno, CA - The Mid-South Monarchs became the first team to venture into the new frontier of the FPHL as they made their way cross-country to Fresno. Their opponent was another new name in the league, as the Fresno Falcons awaited them at Selland Arena.

The first period was highlighted by the goaltenders, as both Tommy Nappier and Austyn Roudebush were perfect for their respective teams. Each goalie was called upon to make big saves, and both answered when needed.

The second period was a much different story, as Fresno erupted offensively. The first of the Falcons’ four goals came from Austin Huffnagle, who crashed the net and snuck one through. The second goal came on the power play from Trey Deloury, who doubled the Falcons’ lead to make it 2-0. Austin Albrect followed with another power-play goal, scoring unassisted. The final goal of the period came off the stick of Hugo Koch, as the Falcons and Monarchs headed to the locker rooms with Fresno leading 4-0.

Austin Huffnagle scored the only goal of the third period, finding the back of the net shorthanded to propel the Falcons to a 5-0 victory.

Tommy Nappier and Wyatt Friedlander stopped 55 of the 60 shots they faced, while their counterpart, Austyn Roudebush, stopped all 18 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season. The Monarchs and Falcons will be back at it tomorrow night, with the game streaming live on the Monarchs’ YouTube channel.