Rhodes led all rookies in points (38) and power play goals (six – tied), while ranking second in goals (24) and third in power play points (10). A native of Powhatan, VA, Rhodes recorded six multi-goal outings, including his first professional hat trick on March 5 against Peoria.

Henry, who spent time with Macon and Peoria this season, ranked fifth among all SPHL players with 26 goals, including eight multi-goal games, despite playing only 35 games. Among rookies, the Markham, ON native tied for the league lead with five game-winning goals, was second in points (36) and power play goals (five – tied), and ranked third with a +13 rating.

Previous SPHL Rookie of the Year Award Winners

2024-25 – Carson Gallagher, Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

2023-24 – Simon Boyko, Fayetteville Marksmen

2022-23 – Austin Alger, Fayetteville Marksmen

2021-22 – Marcel Godbout, Peoria Rivermen

2020-21 – Jake Wahlin, Pensacola Ice Flyers

2019-20 – Austin Plevy, Evansville Thunderbolts

2018-19 – Ben Blasko, Peoria Rivermen

2017-18 – Jacob Barber, Birmingham Bulls

2016-17 – Mike Moran, Mississippi RiverKings

2015-16 – John Lidgett, Huntsville Havoc

2014-15 – Bryce Williamson, Columbus Cottonmouths

2013-14 – Joe Caveney, Pensacola Ice Flyers

2012-13 – Matt Gingera, Columbus Cottonmouths

2011-12 – Kiefer Smiley, Mississippi Surge, and Jordan Chong, Pensacola Ice Flyers

2010-11 – Chris Wilson, Pensacola Ice Flyers

2009-10 – Jesse Biduke, Fayetteville FireAntz

2008-09 – Michael Richard, Twin City Cyclones

2007-08 – Taylor Hustead, Twin City Cyclones

2006-07 – Tim Velemirovich, Fayetteville FireAntz

2005-06 – Rob Sich, Florida Seals

2004-05 – Chad Collins, Fayetteville FireAntz

The post Sam Rhodes Named SPHL Co-Rookie Of The Year first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Jones appeared in 48 games for Pensacola, recording 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points. He ranked 3rd among all SPHL defensemen in scoring and was a key contributor on both ends of the ice throughout the year.

The veteran blueliner averaged 0.63 points per game while logging significant minutes in all situations, including special teams.

The post Cooper Jones Named to All-SPHL Second Team first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Rhodes skated in all 58 games for Pensacola, recording 24 goals and 14 assists for 38 points. He led Ice Flyers rookies in scoring and made an immediate impact offensively, adding 6 power-play goals and 2 game-winning goals.

The rookie winger averaged 0.66 points per game and was a consistent contributor throughout the season.

Rhodes’ performance did not go unnoticed, earning him league recognition as one of the top rookies in the SPHL.

The post Rhodes Named to SPHL All-Rookie Team first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Chesnut was selected in a vote of the league’s equipment managers and athletic trainers, becoming the first three-time winner of the award.

Chesnut began his professional career as an equipment manager for the Topeka Scarecrows in the Central Hockey League. His career has taken him across 12 different teams in five different professional leagues, and he joined the Ice Flyers staff ahead of the 2020-21 season. He then spent some time in the ECHL with Jacksonville before returning to Pensacola during the 2021-22 season.

Chesnut worked his 1,000th professional game during the 2015-16 season, the same season he won his first SPHL Equipment Manager of the Year award. Last season, Chesnut was honored by the Ice Flyers for working his 1,500th professional game.

The post Jim Chesnutt Named Equipment Manager of the Year first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

FRONT ROW (Left-to-Right)
#35 Troy Kobryn, #11 Tyler German, #55 Laudon Poellinger, #42 Cooper Jones (A) , Assistant Coach Justin Stevens, Head Coach Jeremy Gates, Owner Greg Harris, Sr. Director of Operations Brenden Arney, #74 Ethan Price (C), #91 Zack Bross (A), #12 Shane Bull, #4 Nicholas Aromatario, #30 Christian Propp

BACK ROW (Left-to-Right)
Equipment Manager Jim Chesnut, Merchandise and Community Relations Coordinator Lauren Brown, Executive Assistant To The Owner Kelby Porter, Athletic Trainer Bailey Walker, #20 Andrew Kurapov, #83 Zack Jones, #10 Matt Allen, #24 Brody Tallman, #15 Jonathan Ziskiei, #44 Samson Mouland, #6 Tyler Burnie, #8 Porter Schachle, #23 Jordan Stock, #21 Jack Suchy, #17 Amedeo Mastrangeli, #67 Tyrone Bronte, #16 Andrew Poulias, #79 Sam Rhodes, Intern Brendan Reeder, Account and Operations Executive Eric Kagdis, Digital Content Creator Brandon Hines, Digital Content Creator Josh Gamonez, Group Sales and Game Presentation Manager Carson Barlow

FAREWELL GATHERING

PENSACOLA, FLA. – Ice Flyers team gathered with fans to give one last heartfelt goodbye as the 2025-2026 season comes to an end.

The post 📸 Ice Flyers’ Team Photo & Farewell Gathering 4.15.26 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

PENSACOLA, FLA. – The joyous chants and celebratory claps reverberated through the walls and hallway, leading to the Ice Flyers dressing room.
You could feel the scene just by hearing it.

In what became one of their most complete games, the Ice Flyers solved the Evansville riddle, producing in a 3-1 victory Friday night against the defending champion Thunderbolts at the Pensacola Bay Center in Game 2 of their SPHL quarterfinal round playoff series.

The win was the Ice Flyers first playoff game victory in four years. It forced a deciding game on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Evansville, Indiana where the Ice Flyers will seek their first playoff series win since 2021 when they won their fourth SPHL President’s Cup championship.

“Satisfying to win, that’s for sure,” said Ice Flyers coach Jeremy Gates, whose team lost four regular-season games against the Thunderbolts and the playoff opener April 8 at the Ford Center in Evansville. “(Ice Flyers players) played hard and in the right way. It was good.

“To have our team play the way they did shows we can do it. We can play with anybody in this league. And the good news is that we get to play again on Sunday and try to prove that all over again.”

Both teams left Pensacola on Friday night for the 600-mile bus trip to Evansville. For the Ice Flyers, the all-night journey was their third trip to southwestern Indiana in nine days.

They finished the regular-season last weekend in Evansville, returned to Pensacola, traveled back to Evansville on Tuesday, then back again Friday night.
But Sunday presents a chance to make it all enjoyable. Neither team had practice availability on Saturday due to an event at the Ford Center. Gates preferred his team get right back on the bus for the long ride, as opposed to leaving Saturday morning.

“What happens is after these games, it’s really hard for hockey players to fall asleep,” Gates said. “So sleep on the bus…. we’ll get some breakfast, we’ll get there, rest and get to bed early. This time of year, we need the rest.”

The Ice Flyers breakthrough playoff win Friday was embraced by a crowd of 4,772, which by far was the largest crowd of the four SPHL quarterfinal games that night.
It adds to the Ice Flyers setting another attendance record – their third year in a row – after drawing 168,493 fans in 29 home games this season. Attracting large crowds for a playoff game is difficult, because of an uncertain schedule and little time to sell group outings or advance sales.

But Gates sensed the enthusiasm earlier Friday afternoon when he went out for lunch.

“I had people I never met before in my life, saying they were coming to the game,” Gates said. “They recognized me and that’s impressive. Everyone is just so supportive. It just shows the passion here and this community has something to cheer for and support.

“Our front office does a heckuva job promoting it and I just want us to do our part as a team in putting the right guys on the ice and win a hockey game.”

With the crowd chanting, “Let’s Go Flyers!” moments after the opening faceoff, the Ice Flyers produced the game’s first goal, less than five minutes into the game, when Tyler Burnie got a pass from Tyler German and rifled home a wrist shot from inside faceoff circle.

After Evansville tied the game in the second period, Ice Flyers defenseman and enforcer Laudon Poellinger scored on a wrist shot with 45 seconds left in the period. Earlier in the period, he engaged with Evansville’s Cameron MacPhee in a mid-ice fight after the two instantly left the penalty box for roughing.
Poellinger had a huge night. Two scraps, a goal, an assist and chosen as the game’s No. 1 star.

“He had a Gordie Howe hat trick” said Gates, referring to the legendary Detroit Red Wings’ Hall of Famer known for his scoring and brawling. “He had a goal, an assist and a fight.

“(Poellinger) was involved all over the ice. Heckuva game by him. But everybody played well. The level of experience we’re gathering from this is just one step at a time. We got three more periods to play (on Sunday) and we’ll see what happens.”

The Ice Flyers got a pivotal final goal Friday when Matt Allen perfectly timed the carom off the back boards from a teammates and sent the puck into the net before Evansville’s talented goaltender Kristian Stead had time to react. Those are the kind of bounces you need in a playoff game.

Evansville coach Jeff Bes pulled Stead with four minutes remaining, following a timeout, to give the Thunderbolts an extra attacker. But Ice Flyers goaltender Christian Propp won his fourth game in seven starts by finishing an outstanding performance between the pipes.

It included stopping Evansville on a wide open breakaway in the first period. Propp is playing with his fifth different team this season after joining the Ice Flyers in late March.

“He was focused from the start,” Gates said. “He provides the type of leadership that has experience. He has played in big games before.”

Evansville has an 18-8 home record with three overtime losses. Gates knows it figures to be another hard-checking, hard-grinding type of game on Sunday for the chance to reach the semifinals.

No matter what happens, the Ice Flyers were able to re-establish themselves this season in the league with an upper-tier finish in the standings and getting a playoff win.

“We are a learning group that is just kinda chugging away at it,” Gates said. “Sometimes being naïve to things is great. It’s step by step. I’m proud, but not satisfied.
“We work our butts off, everyone in this organization to just keep inching away at it. Maturing, being professional every single day.. and giving our guys the best opportunity.

“(Evansville) have a lot of experience over there. They won last year and have a lot of guys who have come back and know how to do those little things. But we are a better hockey team when we play the game the right way.”

The post After Playoff Win, Big Crowd, Ice Flyers Seek More Breakthrough In Deciding Game At Evansville first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

The post 🎥 Video: Game Highlights April 10, 2026 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Facing elimination following a 4–1 loss in Game 1, the Ice Flyers came out with urgency and energy from the opening puck drop. Tyler Burnie ignited the crowd in the first period, netting the game’s opening goal and sending the Ice Flyers Faithful to their feet. The early strike proved to be the lone goal of the period, giving Pensacola a 1–0 lead heading into the intermission.

Evansville answered early in the second period, evening the score and briefly shifting momentum. But Pensacola responded late in the frame, as Laudon Poellinger found the back of the net to restore the lead. The Ice Flyers carried that 2–1 advantage into the second intermission, fueled by a strong forecheck and consistent offensive pressure.

The Ice Flyers continued to push in the third period, refusing to let up. Midway through the frame, Matt Allen extended the lead to 3–1, giving Pensacola breathing room and sending the Hangar into a frenzy. From there, the Ice Flyers locked things down defensively and closed out the win to force a decisive Game 3.

With the series now tied, Pensacola will turn its focus to Evansville, where the winner-take-all Game 3 is set for Sunday at 3 p.m.

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from tonight’s game on DASH.

Scoring Summary

First Period

EVV 0, PEN 1

4:43 Tyler Burnie (1) – German

Shots on Goal: EVV 11, PEN 17

Second Period

EVV 1, PEN 1

2:51 Aiden MacIntosh – Lund, Kirton

EVV 1, PEN 2

19:15 Laudon Poellinger (1) – Kurapov, German

Shots on Goal: EVV 12, PEN 10

Third Period

EVV 1, PEN 3

10:06 Matt Allen (2) – Poellinger, Rhodes

Shots on Goal: EVV 5, PEN 8

Total Shots on Goal: EVV 28, PEN 35

The post Recap: Thunderbolts 1, Ice Flyers 3 – April 10, 2026 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

The post 📸 ARRIVALS 4.10.26 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

Jersey Sale: Noon

Parking Lots: 4:00 p.m. CT

Doors: 5:30 p.m. CT

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. CT

Watch: FloSports

Listen: Fox Sports-Pensacola (101.1 FM, 1450 AM), Radio Voice of the Ice Flyers Paul Chestnutt broadcasting.

TONIGHT’S PROMO INFORMATION

Wear White

Get ready to turn the Hangar white. Fans are encouraged to wear white as we create a full Whiteout atmosphere for playoff hockey on April 10. From puck drop to the final horn, we need every seat bringing energy and every fan dressed for the moment. Be part of one of the most electric environments of the season and help give the Ice Flyers a true home ice advantage.

PLAYOFF SHIRTS & JERSEY SALE

Get playoff ready before puck drop with two great deals on the Plaza. From 12 PM to 3 PM, stop by the front plaza to grab your official Playoff Shirts and gear up for the postseason. Then stick around for our Jersey Sale running from 12 PM through puck drop, where you can score youth jerseys for $25 and adult jerseys for $35 while supplies last. Don’t miss your chance to rep the Ice Flyers and be ready for playoff hockey at the Hangar.

We’ve added even more to our Jersey Sale on the Plaza, giving fans even more ways to gear up before puck drop. Shop a wide selection of items including bears for $10, toddler and youth hats for $15, and 2026 Playoff T-shirts for $20. Toddler and youth replica jerseys, including all theme and primary styles, are available for $25, while adult replica jerseys are just $35. Specialty adult jerseys, including 30th Anniversary, Blue Angels, and Military 250 designs, will be available for $60. Stop by and take advantage of these limited-time deals while supplies last.

Beré Jewelers Raffle

This is your last chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree to Beré Jewelers. Limited raffle tickets are still available, but they won’t last long. One lucky fan will be selected and announced at Friday’s game, so don’t miss your opportunity to walk away with an unforgettable prize. Secure your entries now before it’s too late.

Purchase Raffle Tickets

50/50 RAFFLE

Don’t miss your chance to get in on the action during our home playoff game with the Ice Flyers Foundation 50/50 raffle! The jackpot has been growing all week with one lucky fan the opportunity to take home half the pot while supporting programs that make a real impact right here in our community. 

The earlier you enter, the bigger the prize can grow. Purchase your tickets online at iff5050.org (available anywhere in Florida) or stop by our sellers above Sections 120 and 105 through the 2nd intermission. Get in now and be part of something bigger while cheering on the Ice Flyers!

SHIRT-OFF-HIS-BACK RAFFLE FEATURING Tyler Burnie

Take your shot at winning an authentic season-worn jersey during tonight’s game with our Shirt Off His Back raffle! One lucky fan will win the season-worn jersey right off the back of #6 Tyler Burnie.

Entries are available online through DASH, so fans can participate from anywhere, and you do not need to be present to win. The winner will be selected at the end of the 2nd intermission and announced on the ribbon during the 3rd period.

The winning fan will have the opportunity to take a photo with Sam after the game and will receive the jersey at the end of the season. Season Ticket Holders can redeem vouchers for free entries at the Coca-Cola Concierge above Section 111.

Purchase Raffle Tickets

JOIN IN ON OUR LIGHT SHOWS! 

Fans can participate in tonight’s light shows using the Ice Flyers app! Download the app to sync your phone’s flashlight with the arena’s exciting new light displays throughout the game. Join thousands of other fans in creating an unforgettable atmosphere as we light up the Hangar together. Make sure to have your app ready before puck drop! Download on the App Store or Google Play. Please double check to make sure you have the latest version installed on your phone.

Tonight’s game notes

The post Game Preview: April 10 vs Evansville first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.