Ice Chips 11/6/2026

MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at DANBURY HAT TRICKS

DANBURY SHUT OUT 5-0 BY MOTOR CITY, LOSE FIFTH STRAIGHT

By Patrick Grudberg

Danbury, CT - The Danbury Hat Tricks were defeated 5-0 Friday night by the Motor City Rockers. With the loss, the Hat Tricks have now lost their fifth straight game.

Motor City took an early lead at 4:50 when former Hat Trick Drew Welsch stole the puck in the neutral zone and beat Kyle Penton on a breakaway. Later in the first, Welsch scored again, this time off a high-slot wrister, giving the Rockers a 2-0 lead after the first period.

No goals were scored in the second period while Danbury continued to outshoot Motor City during the second period, taking a 28-17 lead through 40 minutes.

Motor City extended their lead 50 seconds into the final period as Avery Smith’s backhander finished off a two-on-one rush. TJ Sneath added another goal at 10:54, his sixth of the season, to make it 4-0, and Smith scored his second of the night with 3 seconds remaining to punctuate the 5-0 win. Ricardo Gonzalez earned a 48-save shutout in net for the Rockers.

The Hat Tricks and Rockers finish out their weekend series tomorrow night at the Danbury Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm.

Rockers Blank Hat Tricks Behind 52 Save Shutout from Gonzalez

By Brady Beedon

Danbury, CT - When Rico Gonzalez is locked in, he is must see TV.

Rico Gonzalez and the Motor City Rockers cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Danbury Hat Tricks.

The night started out strong for Motor City, when Drew Welsch danced passed his defender and picked the corner to open the scoring 1-0.

Welsch delivered an encore performance on the powerplay just under 10 minutes later when he found himself all alone at the top of the right wing circle, and ripped a shot passed Danbury goalie Kyle Penton to extend the lead to 2-0 Rockers.

The score would stay stagnant for the rest of the first period.

The middle frame started with up and down action, but neither side could find a rhythm.

Both Gonzalez and Penton made big saves to keep the score at 2-0 after two periods.

With a renewed buzz inside Danbury Ice Arena, the puck dropped on the third.

However, Avery Smith would be the needle that popped the balloon for the Danbury crowd, when a clean feed from Jhuwon Davis, set Smith up to work by a defender and tickle the twine to make it 3-0.

T.J. Sneath and Cade Lambdin attacked the zone with a two-on-one that ended with Sneath's sixth goal of the year on a backhanded shot, bringing the Rockers edge to 4-0

Smith finished the game off with some theatrics, pulling off a between the legs shot that served as the cherry on top of the 5-0 shutout victory.

Gonzalez's shutout marked the first for Motor City since December 2024.

The Rockers and Hat Tricks battle again Saturday night at 7pm. Coverage begins at 6:30 on the Rockers Media Network

INDIANA SENTINELS at WATERTOWN WOLVES 

Wolves Get Closer to Win, Lose in Shootout

By Connor LaLone

WATERTOWN, NY The Watertown Wolves returned home after a road trip to Port Huron that resulted in two tough losses to host the Indiana Sentinels for a two-game weekend set. The contests would see the lowest ranked power-play take on the league worst penalty-kill, setting up an interesting contrast. 

Both teams’ ability to play short-handed would be tested early and often in the first period, as 7 penalties totalling 24 minutes would be dished out, with Watertown committing three of the infractions. 

It was the Wolves who would strike first, when Donovan Powell blasted a one timer from just inside the blue line past Cooper Olson, tallying his 5th of the season. Jake Schultz and Brendan Hussey would both pick up their 4th assists of the year on the goal. Watertown would be punished for taking consecutive penalties at 12:25, when Thomas Miller redirected a puck from close range to beat Samuel Zgiet and tie the game. Christian Yi and Ben Stefanini assisted on the play. Watertown would end the period on the man advantage, going 1-4 on the power-play in the first 20 minutes. 

The parade to the penalty box continued in the second, as both teams continued to pile up infractions. Indiana would convert a 2 on 1 skating short-handed, as Mike Winn was unable to completely block a Noah Hippolyte-Smith centering feed for Christian Yi, and the Sents D-man picked up his first notch of the year. During the same penalty, Watertown scored their second power-play goal of the night. Brendan Hussey won a puck battle behind the net and Michael Mania scooped up the loose puck before skating into the bumper spot and firing a pass through the slot area that was redirected into the net by Gavin Abbott, his first of the year. 

Ethan Esposito added the Sentinels’ third goal at 9:43, an unassisted effort after a bad giveaway in the neutral zone by Watertown. At 18:13 of the contest, it was the Wolves’ opportunity to capitalize on a turnover, as Donovan Powell tied the affair late. 

An otherwise fairly uneventful third period concluded in spectacular fashion when it appeared as though Ross Bartlett had his stick broken with a slash with just 1:01 remaining. It was in fact Bartlett who was called for the penalty and the Indiana bench received a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct, putting the Wolves up two men. Watertown thought they had scored the would be winner with just 28 seconds left as Jake Schultz found the back of the net, but a penalty for hooking against Blake Peavey had been assessed just before the shot was released, drawing a significant amount of ire from most within the building. The Wolves were unable to capitalize skating 5 on 4 and the game headed to OT, then a shootout. 

Both goaltenders were resolute in the overtime period and as well in the shootout, with the only goal scored being tucked fivehole on Samuel Zgiet by Ethan Esposito. 

Watertown will continue to look for their first win of the year tomorrow night as Indiana stays in town for another 7:05 start. 

    FINAL SCORE: INDIANA 4 - 3 WATERTOWN (SO)

Sentinels Outlast Wolves 4-3 in a Shootout

By Andy Poetzinger

WATERTOWN, NY When it comes to what we have seen from the Indiana Sentinels early this season, there is still a lot of meat still on the bone. They know there is still another level or two they need to get to in order to see their full potential. 

We have seen flashes of it, sure. The second period against Minnesota in the second game of the year. The first period in the Friday night game against Topeka and Saturday night against Motor City. Still, there is more to give and that’s what the Sentinels were searching for tonight.

Starting this weekend against Watertown, the Sentinels knew they needed to come away with some crucial inter-divisional points. In the first period, Watertown had the edge on the Sentinels in a penalty-filled opening twenty minutes. 

The Wolves opened scoring at the 14:39 mark with former Sentinel Donovan Powell ripping a one-timer from the point that beat Cooper Olson over his blocker shoulder to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Sents tied things up with a neat redirect from Thomas Miller at the side of the net who tipped home a Christian Li wrister to tie the game at one and break a 0-for-17 slump. After twenty minutes, the score was tied at one with the Wolves leading 11 to 8 in shots on net.

In the second period, it was hard to get any flow in the game with all of the trips to the penalty box on either side. A grand total of 28 penalty minutes were taken in the period. Surprisingly, the Sentinels didn’t tally on their powerplays but instead got a shorthanded strike from none other than Christian Yi.

The whole play started thanks to Alex Arnold who, instead of dumping the puck right away, showcased great patience and bumped the puck ahead to Hippolyte-Smith whose shot was blocked right to Yi. All Yi had to do was beat Samuel Zgiet between the legs to pick up his first goal in the FPHL.

The celebrations were short lived as Watertown tied the game just 28 seconds later on a nice setup from Michael Mania who found Gavin Abbot backdoor to tap one into a wide-open net and tie the game at two.

The third period saw the same penalty-filled madness that we saw in the second period. In one of the few moments of even strength play, Ethan Esposito marked his return to the line up with his first goal of the year on a 2-on-0 break to give the Sentinels a 3-2 lead. 

That lead would hold until 1:47 remained in the third. The Sentinels were a bit too careless in their own end and coughed up the puck in the slot where Donovan Powell was able to deke out Cooper Olson and tie the game.

Overtime saw the Sentinels get the better of the chances but could not find a way to finish it off, so we went to a shootout. Cooper Olson stopped his first two shooters giving Ethan Esposito a chance to be a hero. Espo waited and got the goaltender to open up the five-hole and put the Sentinels ahead.

Cooper Olson was stoic in net as he stayed with Michael Mania the whole way on the final attempt and shut the door to seal the victory for the Sentinels.

Another one that wasn’t pretty, but they found a way to pull it off. Shots at the end of the game were 32-28 in favor of the Sentinels. On the powerplay, the Wolves were 2/14, and the Sentinels were 1/10.

Tomorrow, the Sents wrap things up in Watertown and look to finish the sweep against the Wolves. We’ll have every moment for you on the Sentinels Hockey Network. Coverage starts with the Body Armor Pre-Game Show at 6:50 pm ET, and puck drop at 7:15 pm ET.

COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at MONROE MOCCASINS

Jordan Ernst and Zach Yoder Bury Pair in Debuts; Moccasins Double Up River Dragons

By Danny DeBock

Monroe, LA - Jordan Ernst scored twice in his first game in a Moccasins uniform, while Garrett Johnson made an impressive 47 saves as Monroe used a four goal third period to down the Columbus River Dragons 6-3. Zach Yoder also scored twice, while Jared Christy and Austin Pick also scored for the Moccasins in the win. Yaroslav Yevdokimov, Kyle Moore, and Brodie Thornton tallied goals for Columbus. Trevor Babin made 28 saves in the loss for the River Dragons.

Columbus came into Monroe after sweeping the weekend against the Mid-South Monarchs. Monroe garnered three of a possible four points against the Twin City Thunderbirds. Friday night’s encounter was the first for the River Dragons and Moccasins since their playoff series last April won by Columbus in three games.

Trevor Babin started between the pipes for Columbus while Garrett Johnson made his second start of the season for the Moccasins.

The only scoring came from one of the newest Moccasins as Zach Yoder opened the scoring at 8:29 set up by a brilliant pass from Colten Gerken. Yoder, who only scored one goal last season with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL got the party started early. Monroe netminder Garrett Johnson was stellar in the first making 18 saves in the opening stanza. Columbus outshot Monroe 18-9 in the first.

In the second, Yaroslav Yevdokimov tied up the game at 1:58 slipping a shot through the five hole of Johnson. After Monroe went on a power play midway through the period, Kyle Moore sprung loose on a shorthanded breakaway and put the puck past Johnson to give the River Dragons the lead at 11:32. Moments later, Jared Christy on an individual effort answered to tie the game with a goal at 12:05. Columbus again outshot Monroe in the second period, this time 15-13.

The third period saw the first breakthrough when Jordan Ernst broke the tie, crashing the net off a feed from Jared Christy. The goal at 4:58 proved to be only the beginning for Monroe’s offense. Austin Pick later in the third received a brilliant feed from Colten Gerken and buried a shot by Babin to up the lead to 4-2 at 13:39. 46 seconds later, Jordan Ernst added another goal for Monroe to up the lead to three. In the closing seconds, Zach Yoder added an empty netter at 18:06. Brodie Thornton closed out the scoring at 19:27 for Columbus. 

The 6-3 win moves the Moccasins into a tie with Mid-South for second place in the Delta Division. 

The two teams meet tomorrow night from Monroe as the Moccasins continue to celebrate Military Appreciation Weekend.

Monroe Uses Strong Third Period to Take Down Dragons, 6-3

By Devin Dobek

Monroe, LA - Following a first-round playoff victory over Monroe last season, the Columbus River Dragons looked to carry that success into their first regular-season meeting with their divisional rivals. In a tightly contested matchup through 40 minutes, the Moccasins found another gear in the third period, scoring four unanswered goals while receiving a career-high 47 saves from Garrett Johnson to secure a 6-3 victory.

Columbus came out with plenty of energy in the opening period, generating pressure early and often while Monroe worked to find its footing with several new faces in the lineup. The Dragons tested Johnson, a third-year goaltender making just his fifth start, and created several quality opportunities around the crease. Despite some early rebound opportunities, Columbus was unable to find the back of the net. Instead, it was the Moccasins who struck first. At 8:29, ECHL veteran Zach Yoder capitalized on a defensive breakdown, finishing a feed from Colton Gerken to give Monroe a 1-0 advantage. Both teams had an opportunity on the power play in the opening frame, but neither could convert. Columbus carried much of the pace through 20 minutes, outshooting Monroe 18-9 despite trailing on the scoreboard.

The Dragons responded with a strong second period, needing just 1:58 to pull even. Yaro Yevdokimov made a power move around a Monroe defender before beating Johnson through the five-hole to tie the game at one. The physicality increased as the period progressed, bringing with it a noticeable rise in penalties and six combined power-play opportunities. At 11:32, while shorthanded, Nathan Balkwill delivered a beautifully placed stretch pass to Kyle Moore, who finished the opportunity for Columbus' first shorthanded goal of the season and a 2-1 lead. Monroe answered just 33 seconds later. Playing four-on-four, Jared Christy drove hard to the net and buried his own rebound after Trevor Babin turned aside the initial attempt, evening the score at two. Through 40 minutes, the teams remained deadlocked, with Columbus holding a commanding 33-22 advantage in shots.

Monroe took control in the final period, finding the back of the net four times to pull away. At 4:58, former SPHL MVP Jordan Ernst scored his first goal as a Moccasin to give Monroe a 3-2 lead. Austin Pick extended the advantage at 13:39, breaking in alone and beating Babin to the far side. Ernst struck again just 46 seconds later, wiring a wrist shot from the circle to push the lead to three. Yoder added an empty-net goal at 18:06 to put the game out of reach. Columbus continued to battle until the final horn, with Brodie Thornton finding the scoresheet inside the final minute for his first goal of the season to account for the 6-3 final.

Despite the result, the Dragons generated plenty of offensive opportunities throughout the night, finishing with a 50-34 advantage in shots. Johnson's career-high performance ultimately proved to be the difference as Monroe capitalized on its opportunities in the closing period.

The two divisional rivals will meet again tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. ET inside the Monroe Civic Center, as Columbus looks to respond and close out its road trip on a positive note.

PORT HURON PROWLERS at MINNESOTA NORTHERN LIGHTS

Port Huron Prowlers down the NORTHERN Lights at Home 6 to 3

By Brett Hanson

Thief River Falls, MN - The Northern Lights get on the board first with a goal from Brad Ritter assisted by Declan Conway and Chris Corgan on the power-play about four minutes into the first period.

The Northern Lights held that 1-0 lead going into the second period but the prowlers answer about a minute into the second period with a goal by Bobby Price it would be one of four goals on the night. He also got one at the 5:06 mark of the second a the 12:56 mark of the second to complete the hat trick.

Declan Conway would get the Northern Lights back within one again on the power play with assist to Cal Miska and Hunter Alden. The second and third periods were full of penalties and some power plays for each team. Right away in the third period Bobby Price gets his fourth of the game to expand the lead back to two then about 20 seconds later Jamie Bucell put the prowlers up 5 to 2. Max Arlt of the northern lights gets the score to 5 to 3 with assists to Chris Corgan and Brad Reitter. The Prowlers finish off the scoring with about 30 seconds left in the game with a empty net goal by Timothy Organ.

Bailey Huber of the Northern Lights had 58 saves on 64 shots and Andrew McLean at 20 saves on 23 shots game two is tomorrow at 6 PM. The Northern Lights will be celebrating the local veterans with a special jersey that we will be sold after the game.

Price's 4 Goals Lead Prowlers Past Minnesota

By Will Wiegelman

Thief River Falls, MN - Bobby Price’s natural hat trick in the second period sent the Port Huron Prowlers on their way to a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Northern Lights in their first ever visit to Ralph Engelstad Arena. That wasn’t even the full extent of Price’s scoring as he added a franchise record tying fourth in the third period.

“[Price is] a guy who plays very selfless hockey,” said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. “He plays hard every single night. He takes just as much pride in penalty killing and defending at a high level as he does in the offensive zone. He doesn’t go out there chasing goals, he gets them because of the great work of him and his linemates.”

Both teams had five-on-three man advantages in the first five minutes of the game and that set the tone for a penalty-filled evening. Brad Reitter opened the scoring on Minnesota’s power play and that 1-0 lead held through 20 minutes.

Price took over in the middle frame. He poked in a rebound off a Tim Organ shot 64 seconds in and, four minutes later, he again cashed in a rebound from an Organ shot. For Price’s third trick, he flew down the left wing and picked the top corner over Bailey Huber’s right shoulder. 

“We knew we needed to dial it in a little bit [after the first period],” Price said. “We knew what Huber is not good at so we dominated at that and stuck with it.”

Declan Conway cut the Port Huron lead to one before the end of the period with the Northern Lights’ second power-play goal.

The Prowlers put the game out of reach early in the third. Another rebound off an Organ shot found Price who potted it for his fourth 58 seconds into the final period. 12 seconds later, Jamie Bucell roofed a backhander off a steal in the offensive zone.

Max Arlt brought Minnesota back within striking distance, but after his team failed to convert on a five-minute power play, Organ hit the empty net from his own goal line to seal the deal.

Price and Organ led Port Huron with four points apiece. Bucell added a pair of assists to his tally. Andrew MacLean got the win after making 20 saves.

Conway and Reitter each added an assist to their goals. Chris Corgan finished with a pair of helpers for the Lights. Former Prowler Bailey Huber stopped 58 shots but took the loss.

The two teams meet again on Saturday, November 7 at 7:00 P.M. EST. Live coverage begins on the PHP Network YouTube channel at 6:30 P.M.

TWIN CITY THUNDERBIRDS at BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS

Twin City Outlasts Blue Ridge 3-2 In Overtime Opening of "The Rivalry"

By Brett Wiseman

Wytheville, VA– The Twin City Thunderbirds outlasted the Blue Ridge Bobcats 3-2 in a back-and-forth Friday night overtime affair before a crowd of nearly 2,000 on Virginia Veterans Night at Hitachi Energy Arena.

Between two of the FPHL's hottest and most evenly matched squads, the first of 13 meetings between the two rivals separated by just 93 miles was just as tight-checking and closely contested as expected.

Twin City's Dominic Dumas opened the scoring with a shorthanded snipe past Max Macchioni after a Bobcats turnover in the defensive zone just past the halfway mark of the opening frame.

Max Sazanovets responded for Blue Ridge, hard-charging through the middle of the ice and backhanding a shot past Aydin Eidsness through a maze of screened bodies to tie the game at 1 at the 13:22 mark of the first.

Things remained tied at 1 through the rest of the first and the first half of the second, before Patriks Marcinkevics converted off of a shorthanded breakaway at the 12:14 mark of the middle frame to briefly put the Bobcats in front 2-1. The lead lasted all of five minutes before Joey McCormick converted on another Blue Ridge turnover to tie the game at 2, where things would stay through the rest of the second and all of the third.

Zach White netted the game winner 44 seconds into the extra frame, beating Macchioni short side after finishing off a 2-on-1 break with help from Jacob Schnapp.

Both teams rematch tomorrow night at 6:05 PM for Twin City's home opener. The game will be available to stream on the Blue Ridge Hockey Network.

  White Lifts Thunderbirds to 3-2 Overtime Victory

By Kendall Grayson

Wytheville, VA - Captain Zach White scored forty-seven seconds into overtime to give the Twin City Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory over the Blue Ridge Bobcats Friday night at Hitachi Energy Arena. Dominic Dumas and Joey McCormick each scored in regulation, while Ayvin Eidsness made forty saves in the victory. The Thunderbirds closed their five-game road trip with a 4-1-0 record, and will host the Bobcats tomorrow night at 6:05pm at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena for the highly anticipated Home Opener for the 2026-2027 regular season, the 10th Anniversary season of Thunderbirds hockey in Winston-Salem.

Dominic Dumas opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 10:34 of the 1st period, assisted by Jordan Rosenbaum and Joey McCormick. Blue Ridge answered at 13:22 when Max Sazanovets tied the game at 1-1 on assists from Denis Radchenko and Nikolai Dulak. The Bobcats held a 12-10 advantage in shots at the first intermission.

Patriks Marcinkevics gave Blue Ridge a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal at 12:14 of the 2nd period. Carson Andreoli and Demid Podrezov picked up the assists. Joey McCormick tied the game at 17:56 with an even-strength goal, assisted by Scott Swanson and Grant Coykendall. Blue Ridge outshot Twin City 17-12 in the middle period.

The Thunderbirds outshot the Bobcats 15-13 during a scoreless 3rd period and killed off a Blue Ridge powerplay to keep the game tied. White scored on the only shot of overtime, with Jacob Schnapp and Jordan Rosenbaum picking up assists on the game-winning goal.

Eidsness stopped forty of forty-two shots for Twin City, while Maximus Macchioni made thirty-five saves on thirty-eight shots for Blue Ridge. The Thunderbirds went scoreless on three powerplay opportunities and killed both Bobcats powerplays. McCormick finished with a goal and an assist, and Rosenbaum recorded two assists. White earned 1st Star of the Game honors, followed by Dumas and McCormick as the 2nd and 3rd Stars, respectively. Friday’s game was played in front of 1,650 fans.

The Thunderbirds return to Winston-Salem on Saturday, November 7th, to host the Bobcats in their 2026-2027 Home Opener at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena. Saturday’s matchup marks Jon Buttitta’s first regular season home game as Head Coach and the first of twenty-eight regular season home games in the franchise’s 10th season.

Doors open at 4:35pm ET for Season Ticket Holders and 4:50pm ET for the general public for tomorrow’s Home Opener at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena. 

MID-SOUTH MONARCHS at TOPEKA SCARECROWS

Topeka Stumbles After Week Off, Kneel To Monarchs 5-2

By Jon Kliment

Topeka, KS – Topeka returned from their week off looking to ride the momentum of their first four games of the season. After successful victories against Indiana and Monroe the Scarecrows continue to look up the table trying to establish themselves as leaders in the Frontier division. Mid-South comes in looking for a rebound after a difficult series against Columbus last week.

The Monarchs found the edge early as just 4:15 into the game Brendan O'Reilly got open in the slot taking a pass from Jack Wren and with all the time he had was able to beat Sammy Bernard for a 1-0 lead. Midway through the period Mid-South's Wyatt Friedlander appeared to overstrech on a save and was replaced by Tommy Nappier. Just before the end of the period Mid-South scored again as O'Reilly fed a pass to Wren who put the puck across the crease and Sam Holeczy lifted a backhander past the outstretched Bernard at 19:18 of the first for the 2-0 edge. 

Second period action started similarly to the first as the Monarchs leading scoring Darion Benchich found himself wide open in the slot and beat an outstretched Bernard just 1:42 into the period. 37 seconds later however Topeka found an answer as newcomer Brady Gedman picked up a rebound and slid it past Tommy Nappier to pull Topeka back within two goals, 3-1. 13:26 into the frame after a Scott Coash penalty Frank Trazzera tipped home a Camron Cervone shot to score on the power play and give Mid-South back their three goal lead, 4-1. 3:08 later on a bouncing puck Chiwetin Blacksmith slapped the puck past Bernard for the 5-1 lead that saw the end of Bernard's night.

The Scarecrows fought to the bitter end with an Elijah Wilson goal on a rebound 18:41 into the third period, but 5-2 was as close as it got. 

Bernard stopped 14 of 19 in the loss while Everett Bailey stopped both attempts on him.

Topeka returns to action tomorrow night to face off with the Monarchs again on Faith and Family night

Mid-South Picks Up Second Road Win Of The Year In Kansas

By Cole Parenti

Topeka, KS – The Mid-South Monarchs were back on the road as they headed to the capital of Kansas for a battle with the Topeka Scarecrows. The Monarchs were looking to get the new month off to a good start with a win on the road. The first period featured chances on both sides, but only the Monarchs were able to cash in. The first goal came from Brendan O’Reilly, who finished a puck in front of the net for his first goal of the season. The second goal came in the final minute, as Sam Holeczy cleaned up a rebound to send the Monarchs into the second period with a 2-0 lead. The second period was once again an offensive barrage from the visiting Mid-South squad. The first goal came from the team's leading goal scorer, Darion Benchich, as the Monarchs extended their lead to 3-0. The Scarecrows responded when Brady Gedman batted a bouncing puck into the back of the net. Cam Cervone restored the three-goal lead when he beat the Scarecrows' goaltender from the blue line on the power play. The Monarchs headed into the third period up 5-1, thanks to the effort of Chiwetin Blacksmith, who beat a defender to the puck and quickly fired it into the net. The only goal of the third period came from Elijah Wilson, but it was not enough as the Monarchs cruised to a 5-2 victory. Tommy Nappier and Wyatt Friedlander combined to stop 39 of the 41 shots they faced, while their opponents, Sammy Bernard and Everit Bailey, stopped 16 of the 21 shots they faced. The Monarchs and Scarecrows will be back at it tomorrow night, with the game streaming live on the Monarchs’ YouTube channel

BATON ROUGE KINGFISH at FRESNO FALCONS

DALY SCORES TWICE AS FALCONS RALLY PAST KINGFISH, 4-2, AT SELLAND ARENA

Roudebush makes 30 saves, Huffnagle records three points as Fresno opens two-game series with victory on Native American Heritage Night

By Bryan Flores

Fresno, CA - The Fresno Falcons continued their winning ways Friday night, overcoming an early deficit to defeat the Baton Rouge Kingfish, 4-2, in front of 4,736 fans at Selland Arena on Native American Heritage Night.

Justin Daly led the offensive charge with two goals, including the eventual game-winner, while Aaron Huffnagle contributed a goal and two assists. Goaltender Austyn Roudebush delivered another outstanding performance between the pipes, turning aside 30 of 32 shots to help Fresno secure its fourth consecutive victory.

The win came in the opening game of a two-game weekend series against Baton Rouge, as the Falcons continued their impressive start to their inaugural Federal Prospects Hockey League season.

Kingfish Strike First, Falcons Weather Early Pressure

Baton Rouge wasted little time finding the scoreboard, opening the scoring just 1:09 into the first period.

Jason Brancheau gave the Kingfish a 1-0 advantage, converting a scoring opportunity with assists from Jake Cox and Tyler Williams.

The visitors controlled much of the opening period, outshooting Fresno 14-3 and putting considerable pressure on Roudebush.

Despite the early offensive struggles, the Falcons remained within striking distance thanks to Roudebush, who turned aside 13 first-period shots to keep the deficit at just one goal heading into the intermission.

Fresno Erupts for Three Goals in Second Period

Whatever adjustments the Falcons made during the first intermission paid immediate dividends.

Just 47 seconds into the second period, Huffnagle brought the Selland Arena crowd to its feet, scoring the equalizer off assists from Noah Finstrom and Houston Wilson.

With the contest tied at one, Fresno began generating sustained offensive pressure, eventually breaking through midway through the period.

At 11:12, Daly found the back of the net to give the Falcons their first lead of the night. LeeJay Meguinis and Sterling Bear collected assists on the go-ahead goal, putting Fresno ahead 2-1.

The tally also earned Meguinis a place on the scoresheet during a memorable night at Selland Arena.

Fresno continued to press, and Daly wasn't finished.

At 17:44, the forward struck again, recording his second goal of the evening off assists from Carson Vance and Huffnagle to extend Fresno's advantage to 3-1.

The Falcons outshot Baton Rouge 14-8 during the middle frame, completely reversing the momentum from the opening period.

A scoreless first period had quickly turned into a three-goal explosion, sending Fresno into the second intermission with a two-goal cushion.

Kingfish Push Back, Wilson Seals Victory

Baton Rouge refused to go quietly.

At 5:57 of the third period, Noah Vance brought the Kingfish back within one, scoring off an assist from Garrett Klotz to cut Fresno's lead to 3-2.

With the visitors pushing for an equalizer, Roudebush remained steady in the Fresno crease, turning aside nine of the 10 shots he faced during the final frame.

The Falcons protected their narrow advantage as the clock wound down before delivering the decisive blow in the closing minutes.

At 18:02, Wilson scored Fresno's fourth goal of the evening, assisted by Huffnagle and Josh Colten, restoring the two-goal advantage and effectively putting the contest out of reach.

The Falcons held on for the 4-2 victory, sending the Selland Arena crowd home celebrating another hard-fought win.

Daly, Roudebush Lead the Way

Daly's two-goal performance earned him First Star honors, highlighting a strong offensive showing that helped turn the game in Fresno's favor.

Roudebush was named Second Star after stopping 30 shots, including 13 during a difficult opening period in which the Falcons were heavily outshot.

Meguinis rounded out the evening's Three Stars, earning Third Star recognition after recording an assist on Daly's go-ahead goal.

Huffnagle also enjoyed an outstanding night, recording three points on a goal and two assists, while Wilson contributed a goal and an assist.

Despite being outshot 32-26, the Falcons made the most of their opportunities, capitalizing on a dominant second period and receiving timely goaltending when it mattered most.

A Special Night at Selland Arena

Friday's victory came as the Falcons celebrated Native American Heritage Night, recognizing Native American history, culture and heritage as part of the team's community-focused promotional schedule.

The evening also featured a spirited matchup between the Falcons and Kingfish, with the two teams engaging in a physical contest that included a second-period fight between Fresno's Catlin Big Snake and Baton Rouge's Garrett Klotz.

With 4,736 fans in attendance, the Falcons continued to build excitement around professional hockey's return to the Central Valley.

Three Stars of the Game

First Star — Justin Daly, Fresno Falcons

2 goals, 2 points

Second Star — Austyn Roudebush, Fresno Falcons

30 saves, 2 goals against

Third Star — LeeJay Meguinis, Fresno Falcons

1 assist, 1 point

Up Next: Military Appreciation Night

The Fresno Falcons and Baton Rouge Kingfish return to the ice Saturday, November 7, at Selland Arena for the second and final game of their weekend series.

Saturday's contest will feature Military Appreciation Night, as the Falcons honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.

Fresno will look to complete the weekend sweep and continue its winning streak in front of the home crowd.