FPHL Ice Chips - Game Recaps
FPHL Federal Prospects Hockey League

FPHL Ice Chips - Game Recaps

Published on October 10, 2025 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release


WATERTOWN WOLVES at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

Black Bears Edge Wolves in the Shootout

by Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY - The Binghamton Black Bears and Watertown Wolves clashed at the Visions Veteran Memorial Arena to open the 2025-26 season. The Black Bears needed to go the distance in this one as they were able to edge out the Wolves in the shoutout.

The first period seemed to be a feeling out process as both teams could only find the back of the net once. Steven Klinick opened the season on the breakaway as he was able to beat McAnanama. Tyson Kirkby would respond by cleaning up the rebound in front to send the game tied going to the locker room.

The Black Bears would put up a huge second period as they scored three times in the frame. Austin Thompson would get the first one as he was able to score a five-hole goal, giving Binghamton their first lead of the season. Only nine seconds later Watertown would tie the game as Brad Reiter converted on a Black Bear turnover. The next two goals would come from Tyson Kirkby as he completed the hat trick and sent Binghamton to the final frame up 4-2.

Watertown would turn the tides in period three as they were able to get themselves back into the game. The first would come from Steven Klinick who made it a one goal game on his second of the night. Then former Black Bear captain Jake Schultz tied in on the power-play and sent the game to overtime. No one could find the winner so a shootout is what was required in this one. Only Mac Jansen would score, and Connor McAnanama turned away all three Watertown attempts giving the Black Bears a 5-4 win.

The Black Bears start the season 1-0-0 and send the fans home happy on banner raising night. Connor McAnanama finished with 16 saves on 20 shots while the Watertown netminder Brendan Colgan stopped 49 of the 53 shots he saw.

COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at PEE DEE ICECATS

IceCats Drop Opener to River Dragons in Shootout

by Jonathan Hudson

Florence, SC - Hockey is back in the PeeDee region! After an 18-year hiatus, the PeeDee IceCats fought hard against the Columbus River Dragons, falling 3-2 in a shootout.

The win puts the River Dragons at 1-0-0 on the year and the IceCats fall to 0-0-1.

The game marked the first hockey game played at the Florence Center in 18 years. The crowd showed up and created an electric atmosphere all game long.

The IceCats are back in action tomorrow night against the Columbus River Dragons with puck drop at the Florence Center at 7:15 p.m.

SCORING

IceCats, #14 Adrain Chance, 13:45 2nd (1-0)

River Dragons, #74 Kevin Szabad, 2:21 3rd (1-1)

IceCats, #19 Nick Gullo (#16 Trevor Lord, #22 Dustin Jesseau) 3:38 3rd (2-1)

River Dragons, #28 Ryan Galvin (#71 Alexander Jmaeff) 9:13 3rd Shorthanded (2-2)

Shootout Summary

FIRST PERIOD

The first period featured immediate back-and-forth action, but no goals. The netminders on both sides were up to task. The IceCats generated more chances in the latter 10 minutes, with the Columbus River Dragons committing four penalties. The IceCats peppered Tyler Roy but couldn't get any past. The closest scoring chance being a puck on the goal line that was swept away by a defender.

SECOND PERIOD

The second frame, much like the first picked up pace in the last ten minutes. Tyler Roy kept the scoreline even steering aside a PeeDee breakaway attempt. Shortly after, the River Dragons Nathan Balkwill got called for hooking, giving the IceCats their fifth powerplay of the evening.

On the ensuing powerplay Chase Adrian corralled the rebound off a slapshot from the top and buried the tough angled shot into the back of the net! Adrain scored the first IceCats goal in 18 years, giving the IceCats the 1-0 advantage with 6:55 left in the period. The River Dragons didn't back down and tested Ricardo Gonzalez in the final two minutes with a wrister from the slot and a one-timer. Gonzalez made both saves to keep the one-goal lead going into the second intermission.

THIRD PERIOD

The River Dragons netted the tying goal in the opening minutes. Kevin Szabad took the shot on the breakaway, wristing home the tying goal for the River Dragons. The score remained tied for 1:16 until Nick Gullo got one past Gonzalez to give the IceCats the 2-1 lead. Gullo had great positioning down low and put the bouncing puck into the back of the net with 16:21 to go in the third period.

With 11:48 left in the frame, the IceCats drew a 4-minute penalty. This didn't stop the River Dragons as Ryan Galvin found the back of the net for shorthanded goal to tie it at two.

Both goalies withstood final flurry's and forced overtime. Five minutes of three-on-three hockey couldn't settle it as both goalies denied game winners to take the game to a shootout.

SHOOT OUT

Patriks Marcinkevics fired one past Roy to put the IceCats up one. Ricardo Gonzalez made a huge save against Alex Storjohann. Tyler Barrow got one past Gonzalez to tie it up. A miss from Dominiks Marcinkevics set up a winning goal opportunity for the River Dragons. Matt Stoia skated in and buried the game winner top shelf for the 3-2 Shootout victory.

The IceCats are back in action tomorrow night against the Columbus River Dragons with puck drop at the Florence Center at 7:15 P.M.

PORT HURON PROIWLERS at DANBURY HAT TRICKS

Hat Tricks Drop Season Opener to Prowlers, 3-1

by Doug Lattuca

Danbury, CT - In a highly anticipated Opening Night matchup, the Port Huron Prowlers defeated the Danbury Hat Tricks 3-1 in the first meeting between the teams since the Ben Brockway "flag plant" incident at the end of Game 3 of last season's Empire Division semifinals.

Defenseman Alex Johnson led the way for Port Huron with two goals - the opening tally at 6:21 of the second period and the insurance marker at 11:42 of the third. Head coach and general manager Matt Graham scored the game-winner on the power play, slipping the puck under the pad of Hat Tricks goaltender Frankie McClendon midway through the third period.

Goaltender Reid Cooper was stellar in net for the Prowlers, stopping 47 of 48 shots for his first win of the season.

Danbury's lone goal came from alternate captain Josh Labelle, who snapped a power-play shot from the top of the blueline over Cooper's left shoulder to tie the game at 1-1. The goal came after Port Huron's Jamie Bucell was assessed a five-minute major for charging following a hit on Hat Tricks captain Jonny Ruiz, who left the game but did return.

Just two seconds into the contest, Danbury's Jesse Swanson and Port Huron's A.J. Schlepp dropped the gloves in response to Brockway's actions at the end of last year's playoff series. Later in the first period, the 6-foot-8 Swanson fought Brockway off a defensive-zone faceoff. Two additional fights followed - between Danbury's Josh Tomasi and Bucell at 8:27 of the second period, and between Port Huron's Brett Morich and Danbury's Justin Movalli later in the game.

The Hat Tricks and Prowlers meet again Saturday night at Danbury Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. as Danbury looks to split the opening-weekend series.

Johnson, Cooper Lead Prowlers to Opening Night Win

by Will Wiegelman

Danbury, CT - It's a date that has been circled on the calendar since the FPHL schedule came out. The Hat Tricks were looking for revenge after losing a chippy playoff series to the Port Huron Prowlers in April. It started as expected.

Off the opening puck drop, 6'8" 260 lbs enforcer Jesse Swanson dropped the mitts with the Prowlers' newest acquisition, 6'8" 240 lbs AJ Schlepp. Hockey commenced for a bit after that until Swanson jumped public enemy number one in the building, Ben Brockway.

"It was an electric game," said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. "We knew this was what it was going to be. These are two teams that don't like each other, it's been boiling over all summer."

Once that business was finally settled, the scoring commenced in the second period. After a strong Port Huron forecheck, Alex Johnson sent a shot through traffic for the first goal of the season. Later in the frame, a Danbury power play that looked discombobulated throughout the night converted on a Josh Labelle drive from the point.

It was 1-1 in the third until the Prowlers' man advantage struck. Reggie Millette got a shot through and Matt Graham forced it through from the top of the crease.

The Port Huron penalty kill was on display all night long and came up with a kill on a full two-minute five-on-three. Just as that man advantage expired, a misfired shot caromed out of the zone and right to Johnson exiting the penalty box. He picked the corner over Frankie McClendon's glove in a one-on-one situation to give Port Huron some insurance. Reid Cooper and the defense took things the rest of the way.

"The penalty kill was awesome all night," Johnson said. "It got rimmed around by them on a shot and tipped up by [Bryan] Parsons, I read it the whole way. Labelle is playing defense, I know he's a long player. He poked and I shot it straight through his triangle, high glove."

Johnson led the way with his two goals while Cooper made 47 saves in net.

"[Cooper] came into camp in midseason form," Paulin said. "He won the battle in the crease. We always say if you can win the battle in the crease, you look down at the other guy and out-battle him, out-compete him, you're very likely to win and that's what we did tonight."

McClendon took the loss with 29 stops.

The teams reconvene on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 P.M. at Danbury Ice Arena.

TOPEKA SCARECROWS at INDIANA SENTENELS

Scarecrows Ride 4 Goal 2nd period to Victory on Opening Night

by John Kliment

Columbus, IN - The Tope ka Scarecrows took to the road to kick off their inaugural season ready to tangle with the Indiana Sentinels in Columbus, IN. Both teams participated in the draft and assembled their rosters over the summer tonight being their first regular season action as franchises.

After a scoreless first the Scarecrows found the back of the net first as Scott Coash capitalized on a short-handed chance to give the Scarecrows their first goal in history with assists from Hugo Koch and Jacob Gagnon. 6:01 later it was Indiana's turn short handed as JD Anderson picked off a pass and was able to beat Sammy Bernard to tie the game at one a piece. TJ Sneath found an answer 91 seconds later, however, as Cory Checco ripped a shot from the point that Sneath was able to tip home. 1:07 later Koch put home the Scarecrows first ever even strength goal before Elijah Wilson was once again sprung on a shorthanded opportunity to bring the Scarecrows lead to 4-1 at the end of the second period.

The third period saw Wilson score just 85 seconds into the period to increase the lead to 5-1 and Jacob Gagnon put the final dagger in the heart of Indiana's home opener at 9:34 of the period also shorthanded.

Bernard stopped 23 of 24 for his first win of the season and to backstop Topeka's first ever victory.

The Scarecrows play game two right back here in Indiana tomorrow night at 7:30pm ET. Follow along on Youtube and on Sporfie! #ProHockeyisBack

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Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2025


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