Pre-season action in the ECHL got underway this week, signaling the return of hockey in 30 cities across the country.
With the 2025-26 regular season commencing next weekend, teams got to work preparing themselves for another campaign.
Here are four top performances from Friday night’s exhibition action.
Gargoyles Pick Up First-Ever Win
It may not count in the standings, but the Greensboro Gargoyles have their first win in franchise history in the first game it ever played.
The ECHL’s newest team went on the road to Jacksonville and handed the Icemen a 4-1 defeat at Community First Igloo.
Wade Murphy got the scoring started for the Gargoyles in the first period. After Brody Crane scored the Icemens’ lone goal in the middle frame, Noah Delmas (power-play goal), Ryan Richardson (PPG) and an empty net goal gave Greensboro the victory.
The Gargoyles and Icemen will get to know each other well over the next week. The two teams will meet twice on Opening Weekend, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
The Gargoyles have one more pre-season game remaining, against the Savannah Ghost Pirates Saturday night.
Keeping Up With The Joneses
It was the Jones brothers, Cooper and Zack, who led the Maine Mariners to a 4-2 victory over the Worcester Railers in the pre-season opener for both teams at Worcester Ice Center. The brothers combined for three points in the win.
The Mariners would find the net first. After a holding penalty to Worcester defenseman Ryan Dickinson, Ty Cheveldayoff deflected a Cooper Jones one-timer past the glove of Henrik Tikkanen at 11:40 of the period to make it 1-0 Maine.
Worcester tied the game 1-1 when another pair of brothers, Drew and Anthony Callin, connected on a goal.
The Mariners regained the lead at 15:32 of the middle frame when Jacob Hudson sprung Zack Jones in on a breakaway, giving Maine the 2-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
With the Mariners up 3-2 in the third, Cooper Jones added an insurance goal at 13:39, finishing a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night in Biddeford, Maine at The Harold Alfond Forum (University of New England) to wrap up the preseason.
Carter Gylander Pitches A Shutout
The Toledo Walleye won their preseason opener at Huntington Center 3-0 over the Kalamazoo Wings, with Carter Gylander stopping 20 of 20 shots and Nate Roy recording a goal and an assist.
Roy opened the scoring for the Walleye late in the first period with his first of the pre-season, lighting the lamp with 1:11 remaining to capitalize on Toledo’s offensive pressure. Dylan Moulton and Colby Ambrosio each collected an assist.
Chad Hillebrand added another goal with 5:06 remaining in the period, assisted by Roy and Jed Pietila to make it a 2-0 Toledo lead. Gylander stopped all nine shots he faced in the middle frame.
Brandon Hawkins added the final goal, an empty-netter with 25 seconds left in the game, to cap off the 3-0 victory. Gylander saved all 20 shots he faced for his first shutout of the pre-season.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night, this time in Kalamazoo.
Everblades Win Second Game In Extra Time
The Florida Everblades and Orlando Solar Bears have played two pre-season games, and 60 minutes was not enough time to decide either contest.
After winning the first meeting in overtime, the Everblades tookFriday night’s game 3-2, this time in a shootout.
With the game tied 1-1 in the middle frame, Jett Jones sprung Carson Gicewicz on a breakaway. Gicewicz went five hole to give Florida the 2-1 lead.
Alex Tonge scored for Orlando right off a faceoff with just under five minutes left to tie the game. After seven minutes of extra hockey wasn’t enough, the game went to a shootout.
Tarun Fizer and Logan Will scored to seal the win for the Blades in the skills competition, while Cam Johnson made two stops. The Everblades outshot the Solar Bears 32-23 in the win.