KINGFISH WEEKLY REPORT: VOL. 1, NO. 2

KINGFISH DROP THREE-IN-THREE SERIES TO MONARCHS IN WEEK 2

In their first three-in-three of the season, the Baton Rouge Kingfish went 1-2-0 against the Mid-South Monarchs, with both teams defending home ice.

Baton Rouge traveled to Mid-South on Friday to play the first hockey game at Landers Center in Southaven, Miss., since 2018. Leading 3-2 after 40 minutes, the Monarchs scored two unanswered goals in the third period to hand the Kingfish their first loss of the season, 4-3. 

In Saturday's rematch at Landers Center, the game was deadlocked, 1-1, heading into the third period. Once again, Mid-South outscored Baton Rouge in the final frame to win, 3-2. The Kingfish heavily outshot the Monarchs, 86-53, across the two games in Southaven. However, Baton Rouge was undone by penalties, especially on Saturday night. The Fish spent 51 minutes in the box, and the Monarchs converted on two of their nine powerplay chances. 

On Sunday afternoon, Baton Rouge ended its skid on home ice at Raising Cane's River Center. Three Kingfish skaters recorded multi-point outings as the home team cruised to a 5-2 win.  

Up next, the Fish begin a seven-game road trip, starting in Northern Callifornia. They'll play two games against  Stockton  this weekend, two against Fresno Nov. 6-7 and three on the east coast against Binghamton Nov. 13-15. 

FISH ON FIRE

Forward Tyler Williams has opened the 2026-27 campaign on a five-game point streak. He is the only Kingfish skater to record a point in each of the club's first five games. 

The Lake Superior State product is in his third professional season and first in the FPHL. He spent the first two years of his professional career with the SPHL's Knoxville Ice Bears, where he was teammates with head coach Jimmy Soper.  

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On the blue line, Nick Ketola notched three points (1g, 2a) in Sunday's win, 5-2, over Mid-South. It marked his first three-point game since Feb. 22, 2025, against the Mississippi Sea Wolves. 

Ketola, 28, now leads all Kingfish skaters with five assists. The former Bethel College Royal is in his fourth professional season and has spent his entire career in Baton Rouge. 

HOME SWEET HOME

The Kingfish are 2-0-0 on home ice this season and have outscored opponents, 11-4, in Baton Rouge.

Forward Jake Cox has particularly thrived at Raising Cane's River Center. He leads the team with eight points (4g, 4a), seven of which have come at home. 

Cox racked up four points (2g, 2a) on Sunday and three points (2g, 1a) on opening night against Monroe. The Former Southern New Hampshire University Penman has earned first-star honors in each of the club's first two home games.

The Kingfish play their next seven games on the road and will not return to home ice until Nov. 20 against Monroe -- Military Night at Raising Cane's River Center

UPCOMING WEEK  

Friday, October 30 at Stockton | 9:11 p.m. CDT

The Kingfish open their seven-game road trip with a two-game series against the Stockton Thunder in Northern California. It's the first-ever matchup between the two franchises.

Stockton has played just four games this season after last Friday's home contest against Fresno was postponed due to unplayable ice conditions at Adventist Health Arena.

Veteran forward Petr Panacek leads the Thunder in goals (4) and points (7). Panacek has recorded three multi-point performances in four games, including three points (2g, 1a) in last Saturday's road loss, 8-4, to the Fresno Falcons -- Stockton's only game of the weekend.

Defenseman Gehric Lindberg leads the team with five assists. He recorded four of them in a win, 6-3, over Oceanside on Oct. 18.

Saturday, October 31 at Stockton | 8:11 p.m. CDT

WEEK 2 RESULTS

Friday, Oct. 23 | Game 3 at Mid-South | L, 4-3

Baton Rouge 2 1 0 - 3 Shots: 12-13-17-42 PP: 1/8

Mid-South 1 1 2 - 4 Shots: 8-7-13-28 PP: 0/6

1st Period-Drapluk 2 (Williams, Odjick), 4:20. Kuznetsov 3 (Whiteduck, Shorrock), 9:59 (PP). 2nd Period-Stoia (Williams), 19:04 (SH). Coffey 2-1-0 (28 shots-24 saves), A-4,088 

 Saturday, Oct. 24 | Game 4 at Mid-South | L, 3-2

Baton Rouge 0 1 1 - 2 Shots: 14-17-13-44 PP: 0/5

Mid-South 0 1 2 - 3 Shots: 25-9-6-10 PP: 2/9

2nd Period-Williams 2 (Brancheau), 2:06. Shorrock (Whiteduck, Kuznetsov), 13:32. Seykora 0-0-0 (15 shots-14 saves), Coffey 2-2-0 (10 shots-8 saves), A-3,143 

Sunday, Oct. 25 | Game 5 vs. Mid-South | W, 5-2

Mid-South 1 0 1 - 2 Shots: 11-5-14-30 PP: 1/4

Baton Rouge 2 2 1 - 5 Shots: 11-15-10-36 PP: 0/2

1st Period-Cox 3 (Turner, Ketola), 8:28. Ketola (Cox, Drapluk), 12:34. 2nd Period-Brancheau 4 (Ketola, Shorrock), 4:34. Cox (Melanson, Drapluk), 11:38. 3rd Period-Williams 3 (Brancheau, Cox), Coffey 3-2-0 (30 shots-28 saves), A-1,862