ECHL Notebook: Repaci's Run, Tahoe Achieves Another First

The first four weeks of the ECHL season is a wrap. Another exciting week of action saw hatties, firsts and a great cause. Plus, my salute to those who served in all branches of the United States military.

Let’s examine some news and notes of interest around the league.

Repaci’s Run

It’s always fun to prognosticate.

If I had to wager a guess who this week’s POTW might be, I would go with Anthony Repaci. (I have no inside information from the ECHL on these awards, by the way).

The Worcester Railers forward and captain had the weekend of a hockey player’s dreams, leading his club to a pair of victories.

On Saturday against the Maine Mariners, Repaci accomplished a natural hat trick by scoring three goals in the same period. It was just the sixth time in Worcester hockey history that had been done.

In Sunday’s win over the Norfolk Admirals, Repaci scored the game-tying goal in the second period, then added the game-winner 38 seconds into overtime to nail down a 4-3 victory and a 2-0-0 mark for the weekend.

The 29-year-old Repaci re-signed for his fourth season with the Railers in July. He came into the 2024-25 season as Worcester’s all-time leading scorer and ranks second all-time in games played with the club.

Even though his 2023-24 season was cut short by an injury, Repaci still managed to finish fifth on the team in points (31) and assists (16). He also finished fourth in goals with 15. So far this season, he's picked up right where he left off.

Hawkins and Lambdin Hatties

Repaci wasn’t the only one to claim a hat trick over the weekend. Brandon Hawkins of the Toledo Walleye and Florida’s Logan Lambdin picked up their own hatties for their respective clubs.

Hawkins celebrated his hat trick in Sunday’s 5-3 road win over the Kalamazoo Wings.

He got the scoring started for Toledo at the 3:25 mark of the first period, with help from Tyler Spezia.

Hawkins’ second tally came at 6:28 of the second period to give the Fish a 3-1 lead.

Hawkins picked up his hat trick on a power-play goal at 2:34 of the third period, following a five-minute major on the Wings’ Max Humitz.

Hawkins, last year’s ECHL MVP, posted career bests in goals (40), assists (53) and points (93) in 2023-24. The 40 goals and 93 points were both single-season Walleye records.

Through Sunday, Hawkins leads the league with 17 points (10-7-17). It's only a month into the season, but he's already making a bid for a second straight MVP award.

On Saturday, Lambdin lit the lamp three times in the Everblades’ 4-1 win over the Orlando Solar Bears in front of a sellout standing-room only crowd of 7,435 at Hertz Arena.

The first came on a power-play 5:44 into the opening period. Lambdin received a feed from Mike O’Leary and buried a shot one minute into the man advantage. Colin Theisen was credited with the assist.

Lambdin’s second goal came at the 11:26 mark of the second period from the low slot. Carson Gicewicz and Colton Hargrove picked up helpers for a 2-0 Florida lead.

The hat trick was completed in the third, when Lambdin increased Florida’s lead to 3-1 with a missile from between the circles. Hargrove and Gicewicz got the assists.

The Everblades and Solar Bears will square off again in a Veterans Day contest Monday to finish a three-game series, this time in Orlando.

Knight Monsters Notch First Road Win

The Tahoe Knight Monsters continue to pick up firsts in their inaugural season. On Sunday, they captured their first road win in franchise history with a convincing 6-2 victory over the Utah Grizzlies in West Valley City.

Tahoe bounced back from a tough Saturday night loss to the Grizzlies with an impressive performance in the Sunday matinee. Sloan Stanick led the way with four points, Simon Pinard scored twice, and goaltender Justin Robins picked up his first professional win in net.

Utah struck first, marking only the second time the Knight Monsters didn’t score the opening goal this season. It didn’t matter, though, as Jett Jones knotted things up with his third goal in the last three games off a Jake McGrew faceoff win with 8:30 left in the first period.

Minutes later, Patrick Newell potted a rebound for his first goal of the season and Tahoe’s first power-play goal of the series.

The Knight Monsters extended the lead to 3-1 on another power-play opportunity. Pinard rifled a shot through the five-hole off a beautiful feed from Stanick.

Stanick struck again seven minutes later, getting a rebound off his own shot and roofing it top-shelf for a 4-1 lead.

The Grizzlies scored in the final minutes of the second to cut the margin to 4-2, but Pinard found the back of the net again just over three minutes into the third frame off a Bear Hughes give-and-go.

Tahoe’s final goal came from Cal Kiefiuk, his first as a Knight Monster and in the ECHL. Tahoe outshot the Grizzlies 33-24.

Stingrays Partner With Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston For STEM Initiative

The South Carolina Stingrays are proud to announce a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston for the 2024-25 hockey season. Together, they are launching the "Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM" initiative to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the Lowcountry.

For every Stingrays victory this season, Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston will pledge $100 towards a scholarship fund that will be awarded to a local teacher or school. This scholarship will help provide essential equipment and materials for STEM education in the classroom, furthering the community's commitment to empowering the next generation of innovators.

The initiative will be celebrated as part of the Stingrays' annual STEM Night, which engages students and families in hands-on learning activities. This year's STEM Night will take place on March 21, 2025.

By tying each Stingrays win to a positive impact on education, the "Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM" program will bring added excitement to every game while making a lasting difference in local classrooms.

Happy Veterans Day!

On behalf of everyone at The Hockey News, I’d like to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to those past and present who serve in the United States military. Your courage, sacrifice and loyalty does not go unnoticed.

Let us never forget those who put their lives on the line to preserve our freedom. Let us also remember the families of those who serve, as they sacrifice a great deal to make it possible for their loved ones to heed the call of duty.