Inaugural Weekend Recap

The Ironhawks opened their inaugural regular season with a pair of road losses, falling 7-4 to the Trois-Rivières Lions on Friday before dropping a 5-2 decision to the Adirondack Thunder on Saturday.

Despite the losses, Trenton made history on both nights. Max Ellis scored the first goal in Ironhawks history Friday in Trois-Rivières, while Chas Sharpe scored the first goal by a defenseman in franchise history just 19 seconds into Saturday’s game in Adirondack. Ellis scored twice in the opener, while Kyle Penney scored in both games and led the Ironhawks with two goals and an assist on the weekend.

Ellis and Sharpe have since been recalled by the Hamilton Hammers.

Preview: Oct. 24 vs. Adirondack Thunder

Home is on the horizon.

After opening the inaugural season with two games on the road, the Trenton Ironhawks are finally coming home this Saturday for the one we've been waiting for.

The Ironhawks will host the Adirondack Thunder at CURE Insurance Arena at 6 p.m., marking the first time the team will take the ice for a regular-season game in front of its home fans.

The night will officially usher in a new era of professional hockey in Trenton, nearly 12 years after the city last hosted a professional hockey game.

WHERE: CURE Insurance Arena, Trenton, New Jersey
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. ET
WATCH: FloHockey
FOLLOW: @TrentonIronhawks
TICKETS: https://www.ticketmaster.com/trenton-ironhawks-vs-adirondack-thunder-trenton-new-jersey-10-24-2026/event/0000652E8E524E98 

Fast Starts

The Ironhawks wasted little time making their presence felt in both games of the opening weekend, scoring the first goal in each contest.

Max Ellis opened the scoring 10:10 into Friday’s game in Trois-Rivières to record the first goal in Ironhawks history. On Saturday, Chas Sharpe scored just 19 seconds into the game in Adirondack, giving Trenton another early lead.

While the Ironhawks ultimately came up short in both games, the ability to start quickly will be an encouraging sign as Trenton prepares for its first home game.

Perfect on the Penalty Kill

The Ironhawks’ penalty kill was perfect throughout opening weekend.

Trenton successfully killed all five opposing power plays, including two opportunities for Trois-Rivières on Friday and three for Adirondack on Saturday.

Special teams will be an important part of establishing an identity during the inaugural season, and the Ironhawks showed early signs of success while playing shorthanded.

Resiliency on Display

There were plenty of challenges throughout the opening weekend, but the Ironhawks showed an ability to battle through adversity.

After Trois-Rivières erased an early Trenton lead Friday, the Ironhawks responded with three goals in just over three minutes during the second period to take a 4-3 advantage into the third.

Trenton also battled back Saturday after Adirondack took control in the second period. Kyle Penney scored just 44 seconds into the third to cut the deficit to two, giving the Ironhawks another opportunity to fight their way back into the game.

The results were not what Trenton wanted, but the ability to continue competing through momentum swings will be an important part of the team’s growth.

Party in the Plaza

Opening Night will begin well before puck drop.

The Party in the Plaza will get underway at 3:30 p.m. outside CURE Insurance Arena, giving fans the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of professional hockey in Trenton before the Ironhawks take the ice.

The pregame celebration will feature live music from El Ka Bong, circus performers, a drink tailgate, merchandise and additional festivities leading into the 6 p.m. home opener.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early and make a full day out of the Ironhawks’ first home game.

A Night to Remember

Saturday’s game will be more than just another game on the schedule.

The matchup with Adirondack will officially mark the first regular-season home game in Ironhawks history and the return of professional hockey to Trenton after nearly 12 years.

For the players, it will be their first opportunity to play in front of the home crowd at CURE Insurance Arena. For the fans, it will be the first chance to see the inaugural Ironhawks team compete on home ice.

The Ironhawks have spent months building toward this moment. On Saturday, that work finally comes home.

A Rematch With Adirondack

Saturday’s matchup will be a rematch from the second game of the season, when the Ironhawks fell 5-2 to the Thunder in Glens Falls.

Trenton scored just 19 seconds into that game when Sharpe found the back of the net, but Adirondack responded with four unanswered goals before the Ironhawks got back on the board early in the third.

The Ironhawks will now get a chance to turn the page in front of their home crowd.

With the two teams having already seen each other once, Saturday’s rematch should provide an early opportunity for Trenton to make adjustments and build on what it learned from the opening weekend.

The Next Step

The opening weekend provided the Ironhawks with their first taste of ECHL regular-season hockey. Now, the challenge is to build from it.

Trenton showed encouraging signs with fast starts, a perfect penalty kill and the ability to respond when games began to turn. The next step will be finding consistency over 60 minutes and turning those positive moments into results.

For the first time this season, the Ironhawks will have their home crowd behind them.

And after months of waiting, Trenton finally gets to welcome professional hockey home.