A look at some of the action around the ECHL on the opening night of pre-season play.
Training camp for many ECHL teams has been underway most of the week. The first pre-season game on Wednesday saw the South Carolina Stingrays edge the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 4-3 in a game that benefited Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
More teams kicked off pre-season action on Friday. Here are some of the highlights:
Brock Gets On The Board
The Reading Royals signed forward Brock Caufield over the summer, and the older brother of Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield put Reading up 2-1 late in the first period over the Adirondack Thunder with a wrister on the power play.
The 25-year-old Caufield, who also had an assist, played with the Newfoundland Growlers last season, tallying 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points in 63 games as a rookie. The Royals went on to win the game 4-2.
Jack Is Back
Jack Dugan had a career year with the Fort Wayne Komets last season. The 26-year-old forward finished fifth in the ECHL in scoring with 80 points (20-60-80) and was voted the team’s MVP.
Dugan, who re-signed with the Komets this season, scored two goals in Friday’s pre-season contest against the Iowa Heartlanders. His first gave the Komets a 2-0 lead.
His second came in the third period and increased the Fort Wayne lead to 5-0.
It's only pre-season, but looks like Dugan is picking right back up where he left off.
Codd Kills the Walleye
Q: What do a Codd and a Walleye have in common?
A: They both play hockey, just not on the same team.
This is no tall tale, but Davis Codd got the Kalamazoo Wings' 50th anniversary season off to a flying start in their pre-season opener against the Toledo Walleye. Codd potted the winning goal in Kalamazoo's 4-2 victory at Wings Event Center.
Codd scored his goal on a power play to put the K-Wings ahead for good 3-2 with 1:18 left in the contest to preserve the win.
The 21-year-old forward appeared in 35 games for Tulsa last season, scoring 17 points (7-10-17), and recorded 19 penalty minutes.
Codd is a Brighton., Michigan native, so he's already making his presence felt with the Wings and his home state.
Guay Guides The Mariners To Victory
The Maine Mariners picked up a 4-3 win over the Worcester Railers in their pre-season opener at Bowdoin College in New Brunswick, and Patrick Guay was the deciding factor.
Four different skaters scored each of the Mariners' goals. Guay's came at 5:24 of the second period just as Owen Pederson stepped out of the penalty box. Pederson fed Guay, who sent a backhand-forehand deke past Railers netminder John Muse to put the Mariners ahead for good, 3-2.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday, this time at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.