KINGFISH WEEKLY REPORT: VOL. 1, NO. 1

KINGFISH SWEEP HOME-AND-HOME TO OPEN 2026-27 CAMPAIGN

In their first weekend of action in franchise history, the Baton Rouge Kingfish scored a pair of decisive, 6-2, victories over the Monroe Moccasins.

Baton Rouge hosted Monroe on Friday at Raising Cane's River Center -- the first Kingfish game in 23 years. Clinging to a one-goal lead after two periods, the Fish outscored the Mocs, 4-1, in the final frame, with three of their four tallies coming on the powerplay.

On Saturday, the Kingfish rematched with the Moccasins in Monroe and trailed, 2-1, after 20 minutes. However, Baton Rouge scored five unanswered goals en route to a second consecutive 6-2 win.

The Kingfish outscored the Moccasins in the third period, 8-1, across both contests. Baton Rouge also converted on five of its nine powerplay opportunities and held Monroe to just one man advantage goal in nine chances.

Up next, the Fish play their first three-in-three of the season agains the Mid-South Monarchs. They'll play Friday and Saturday night on the road in Southaven, Miss., before returning home to Baton Rouge on Sunday afternoon.

FISH ON FIRE

Forwards Jason Brancheau and Jake Cox paced the Kingfish in scoring last weekend with four points.

Brancheau potted the game-winner early in the third period Friday night and tallied twice on Saturday. The former Ferris State Bulldog is in his third pro season, his first in the FPHL, after spending the last two campaigns with the SPHL's Knoxville Ice Bears

Cox notched a three-point (2g, 1a) effort Friday night, including the first goal in franchise history late in the first period. The fifth-year forward skated in 49 games with Baton Rouge last season, amassing a career-high 15 goals.

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Goaltender Ed Coffey earned both wins in between the pipes. After facing just 19 shots on Friday, Coffey saw a much more steady diet of rubber Saturday night, turning aside 35 of 37 Monroe shots.

The Anchorage, Alaska, native has won his last five starts dating back to March 28.

BENCH BOSS BAGS A PAIR 

Last weekend's games marked both the first wins in Kingfish history and the first win of head coach Jimmy Soper's professional coaching career.

Soper, 31, steps behind the Baton Rouge bench after a nine-year pro career in the ECHL, SPHL and FHL.

He served as captain of the SPHL's Knoxville Ice Bears for the final two years of his playing career, leading the organization to back-to-back playoff berths and a trip to the President's Cup Finals in 2025.

UPCOMING WEEK  

Friday, October 23 at Mid-South | 7 p.m.

The Kingfish look to keep their momentum rolling as they travel to Southaven, Miss., to begin a three-in-three with the Mid-South Monarchs. It's the first all-time meeting between the two franchises.

Forward Darion Benchich leads the Monarchs with five points (3g, 2a) in the club's first four contests. No other Mid-South skater has accrued more than two points.

The Monarchs knocked off the Fresno Falcons, 6-3, last Saturday to earn their first win of the season despite being outshot 59-25.

Saturday, October 24 at Mid-South | 7 p.m.

Sunday, October 25 vs. Mid-South | 4:05 p.m.

The Kingfish conclude their three-in-three against the Monarchs with a matinee matchup in Baton Rouge.

It's both Breast Cancer Awareness Night and Greek Night at Raising Cane's River Center.

WEEK 1 RESULTS

Friday, Oct. 16 | Game 1 vs. Monroe | W, 6-2

Monroe 1 0 1 - 2 Shots: 5-6-8-19 PP: 1/2

Baton Rouge 1 1 4 - 6 Shots: 20-21-15-56 PP: 3/4

1st Period-Cox 1 (Drapluk, Brancheau), 10:22. 2nd Period-Stoia 1 (Ketola, Williams), 16:16. 3rd Period-Brancheau 1 (Williams), 0:38 (PP). Drapluk 1 (Stoia), 2:26 (PP). Cox 2 (Kuznetsov), 3:24 (PP). Kuznetsov (Shorrock, Cox), 19:17 (EN). Coffey 1-0-0 (19 shots-17 saves), A-3,061 

Saturday, Oct. 17 | Game 2 at Monroe | W, 6-2

Baton Rouge 1 1 4 - 3 Shots: 10-13-9-32 PP: 2/5

Monroe 2 0 0 - 2 Shots: 20-10-7-37 PP: 0/7

1st Period-Brancheau 2 (Drapluk, Cox), 13:40. 2nd Period-Williams 1 (Ketola), 5:36. 3rd Period-Stoia 2 (Unassisted), 0:55 (PP). Kuznetsov 2 (Shorrock), 1:14. Brancheau 3 (Unassisted), 8:43 (PP). Shorrock (Unassisted), 19:08 (SH). Coffey 2-0-0 (37 shots-35 saves), A-4,284