It’s a jam-packed week for hockey fans as the ECHL heats up with a full slate of games across North America, while in Minnesota, the Grand Rapids-Greenway Lightning continue to electrify the high school circuit with a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Roseau Rams. Let’s dive into the action, stats, and stories defining the ice this December 31, 2025.
First, the ECHL is serving up a veritable hockey feast. The Savannah Ghost Pirates, currently holding a 10-12-3 record, are set to take on the Trois-Rivières Lions (12-8-3) at 1 p.m. ET. Nicholas Zabaneh leads the Ghost Pirates with eight goals, and the team boasts a stellar 90.0 percent penalty kill rate on the road—an impressive feat, especially considering the Lions’ dominant 10-2-1 home record where they’ve outscored opponents 49-26. Charles Martin, tied for second among defensemen with six goals, will be a key figure for Trois-Rivières as they try to defend their home ice.
Later in the afternoon, the Maine Mariners (11-8-4) clash with the Adirondack Thunder (13-8-4) at 3 p.m. ET. Mariners’ netminder Brad Arvanitis has been an absolute wall, making at least 27 saves in each of his last three appearances. Meanwhile, Brannon McManus leads Adirondack with five points against the Mariners this season. Maine’s defense has been rock-solid, allowing a league-low 10 first-period goals, but Adirondack has momentum, going 6-2-1 in their last nine outings. Can the Mariners’ defense hold up against the surging Thunder?
The Norfolk Admirals (7-18-2) visit the Reading Royals (15-11-2) at 4 p.m. ET. Norfolk’s Ben Zloty ranks sixth among defensemen with 20 points, while Reading’s rookie blueliner Ben Meehan isn’t far behind, sitting third among rookie defensemen with 15 points. The Admirals are tough to beat when leading after two periods (7-1-1), but the Royals are nearly automatic when they strike first, posting an 11-1-1 record in those scenarios.
Prime time brings even more intrigue. Toledo Walleye (15-5-4) travel to face the Kalamazoo Wings (10-11-3) at 6 p.m. ET. Toledo’s Brandon Hawkins is lighting up the league with 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists), while Hunter Strand leads the Wings with eight goals. Discipline could be a decider: Toledo is the league’s least-penalized team, averaging just 8.75 penalty minutes per game, but Kalamazoo has shown resilience, leading the league with six comeback wins after trailing in the first period.
Elsewhere, the Indy Fuel (11-11-3) take on the Cincinnati Cyclones (13-9-3) at 6:05 p.m. ET. Brett Moravec is tied for third among rookies with four power-play goals for Indy, while John Jaworski leads Cincinnati against the Fuel with seven points. The Fuel have been in tight games all season, going 6-2-3 in one-goal contests, but Cincinnati’s power play is lethal at home, converting at a league-best 33.3 percent.
Down south, the South Carolina Stingrays (17-11-1) meet the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (11-10-4) at 6:05 p.m. ET. Jalen Luypen is pacing the Stingrays with 27 points, while Patrick Polino leads Greenville with seven points against South Carolina. The Stingrays have thrived in nail-biters (8-1-1 in one-goal games), and the Swamp Rabbits’ penalty kill at home is a stout 90.0 percent.
In other ECHL matchups, the Worcester Railers (20-6-1) face the Wheeling Nailers (12-11-2) at 6:10 p.m. ET. Matt DeMelis is on a tear with four goals in his last six games for Worcester, while Wheeling rookie Zach Urdahl is tied for first in game-winning goals among rookies. The Railers are nearly unbeatable when scoring first (8-1-0), but Wheeling’s power play is dangerous, especially at home.
The Utah Grizzlies (12-13-2) visit the Wichita Thunder (11-11-4) at 6:05 p.m. CT. Utah’s Danny Dzhaniyev is peppering the net with 96 shots, ranking second among rookies, while Wichita’s Kyle Crnkovic has notched 17 points in his last 11 games. Utah is 8-0-1 when leading after two periods, but Wichita’s penalty kill is top-five in the league.
The Tulsa Oilers (9-17-0) head to Texas to play the Allen Americans (13-10-3) at 6:10 p.m. CT. Josh Nelson’s shooting percentage is a whopping 25.9 percent, and Danny Katic leads Allen against Tulsa with 11 points. Tulsa rarely goes beyond regulation, with just one such game, while Allen’s penalty kill is the league’s best at 87.3 percent.
Later, the Bloomington Bison (13-9-4) challenge the Fort Wayne Komets (16-6-4) at 7:35 p.m. ET. Brett Budgell is tied for the league lead with three shorthanded goals, while Jalen Smereck is a standout defenseman for Fort Wayne. The Bison are no strangers to overtime, and the Komets are stingy defensively, allowing just 24.27 shots per game.
The Iowa Heartlanders (8-16-2) will try to upset the Kansas City Mavericks (17-7-2) at 7:05 p.m. CT. Isaac Johnson leads Iowa with 16 points against Kansas City, but Marcus Crawford’s league-leading +26 plus-minus and the Mavericks’ 35.27 shots per game make them a formidable opponent. Iowa’s power play on the road is clicking at 25.0 percent.
Out west, the Tahoe Knight Monsters (16-11-2) take on the Rapid City Rush (12-13-2) at 7:05 p.m. MT. Sloan Stanick is second in the league with 34 points for Tahoe, while Ryan Wagner leads Rapid City against the Knight Monsters. Tahoe is also tied for third in shorthanded goals, and the Rush are undefeated in regulation when leading after the first period.
Meanwhile, Minnesota high school hockey is buzzing after the Grand Rapids-Greenway Lightning edged the Roseau Rams 4-3 on December 29, 2025. The Rams struck first with an Ella Ketring goal, but the Lightning’s Kylie Debay answered late in the first, assisted by Kate Carlson. Carlson then put the Lightning ahead in the second, with help from Brooke Troumbly and Debay, before Debay tallied again, making it 3-1, with assists from Carlson and Opal Anderson. Sophie Carlson’s third-period goal, assisted by Makenna Sobtzak and Anderson, extended the Lightning’s lead to 4-1.
The Rams mounted a furious comeback, with Launa Ullman and Ketring each scoring in the third, but the Lightning held on for their fourth straight win. Both teams are back in action on December 30, with the Lightning facing the River Hawks and the Rams meeting the Stars. The Lightning’s recent surge is turning heads, and with Debay and Carlson leading the charge, they’re a team to watch.
From the ECHL’s high-stakes matchups to thrilling high school showdowns, hockey fans have plenty to cheer for as 2025 draws to a close. With so many games still to be played and playoff races heating up, the excitement on the ice is only just beginning.
