GAME 4 PREVIEW: BATON ROUGE KINGFISH AT MID-SOUTH MONARCHS

KINGFISH AIM TO REBOUND AGAINST MONARCHS

The Baton Rouge Kingfish face off against the Mid-South Monarchs tonight on the road at Landers Center in Southaven, Miss. 

Last night, the Monarchs rallied from behind in the third period to hand the Kingfish their first loss of the season, 4-3. 

The two teams wrap up the three-in-three weekend tomorrow with a matinee, 4:05 p.m., showdown in Baton Rouge.  

BROADCAST COVERAGE

Kingfish Pregame at 6:45 p.m.

Streaming: Free-to-watch video on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/@BatonRougeKingfish 

LAST TIME OUT

In the first-ever matchup between the Kingfish and Monarchs, Mid-South scored two unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Kingfish, 4-3, last night at Landers Center. 

Baton Rouge raced out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first period. Joe Drapluk notched his second goal of the season 4:20 in, and Dmitry Kuznetsov followed up with a powerplay strike less than six minutes later. The Monarchs drew a goal closer prior to the intermission, taking advantage of a turnover by the Kingfish in the defensive zone at 13:15.  

Mid-South leveled the game at two goals apiece with a four-on-four tally just past the halfway point of the middle period. It looked like game would be tied, 2-2, heading into the final frame. However, Matt Stoia one-timed in a shorthanded goal with 56 seconds left in the second to make it a 3-2 Kingfish lead after 40 minutes. 

Baton Rouge's lead lasted just 15 seconds into the third period. The Monarchs scored their second four-on-four goal of the night, capitalizing on a Kingfish giveaway in the neutral zone. Mid-South then took its first lead of the game off of a well-executed faceoff play with 12:08 left in the third.  

The Kingfish were held scoreless on 17 third period shots. Ed Coffey made 24 saves in the loss.

KUZY KEEPS IT ROLLING

Forward Dmitry Kuznetsov notched a powerplay tally in the first period last night, his third goal in as many games. 

Kuznetsov is locked in a three-way tie with Matt Stoia and Jason Brancheau for the club lead in goals.

The Tyumen, Russia, native is back for his third season in Baton Rouge after playing the final nine games of the 2026-27 campaign with the Danbury Hat Tricks.  

Kuznetsov won a Commissioner's Cup with the Hat Tricks in 2023.

STOIA STAYS HOT

Matt Stoia notched two points last night (1g, 1a), the only Baton Rouge skater to record a multi-point game.

The 27-year-old leads the Kingfish in scoring with five points (3g, 2a), averaging 1.67 points per game through the first three contests.  

Stoia, 27, was signed by Baton Rouge on Oct. 15, one day before opening night. He skated in 25 FPHL games last season for Columbus and Biloxi, logging six goals and 11 assists. 

SEYKORA TO MAKE FIRST PRO START

Goaltender Anthony Seykora is poised to make his first pro start in the crease tonight. 

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, native was signed by Baton Rouge ahead of last night's contest after beginning the season on Mid-South's roster.

Seykora, 27, played five seasons of college hockey for Concordia University of Ann Arbor and Missouri State at the ACHA level.

SCOUTING THE MONARCHS

The Monarchs (2-3-0, 4 pts) earned their second consecutive win last in their first home game of the season.

Mid-South has still yet to allow less than 40 shots in a game. 

Tommy Napier (1-3-0/4.27/.906) picked up his first win of the campaign, parrying 39 of 42 Kingfish shots.