GREENSBORO, NC – October 18, 2025 — Professional hockey returned to Greensboro for the first time in 20 years as the Greensboro Gargoyles made their long-awaited debut Saturday night at First Horizon Coliseum. The Gargoyles battled the Jacksonville Icemen to a thrilling overtime finish in front of 11,398 fans. The Gargoyles found a way to drag out a point, scoring an extra attacker goal to force overtime before falling 2-1.
Greensboro came out flying, jumping to a 14–4 shot advantage in the first period as the home fans filled the Coliseum with energy. Rookie goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev impressed in his professional debut, stopping 23 of 25 shots and keeping the Gargoyles within striking distance throughout.
Jacksonville’s Nathan Dunkley opened the scoring early in the second period, giving the Icemen a 1–0 lead that held deep into regulation. With time winding down, Head Coach Scott Burt pulled Khazheyev for the extra attacker, and the gamble paid off when forward David Gagnon buried the equalizer with 1:39 remaining, assisted by Patrick Newell and Jake Elmer, sending the Gate City crowd into a frenzy.
Gagnon’s late goal etched his name into team history as the first to score in a regular season game for the Gargoyles. “It’s great,” he said. “Every hockey player loves scoring goals, and to push overtime in the first game of this franchise, you’re not really thinking that much, just trying to hug somebody.”
The Gargoyles carried momentum into overtime with a late power play, but Jacksonville’s Redmond Savage sealed the win at 5:46 of the extra frame. Greensboro finished with a 39–25 edge in shots, including a commanding first period pace that showcased the club’s speed and forechecking identity.
“We can build off tonight,” said Head Coach Scott Burt. “I thought we had a real good start, I thought the middle frame we lacked a little bit, then I thought we had a real good push in the third. It’s loud in here and it energizes our guys. That’s what we want. We’re here to build this brand and we’re here to win.”
The night marked a historic beginning for professional hockey’s newest franchise. Earlier in the day, forward Logan Nelson was named the first Captain in franchise history during a team meeting before the morning skate, an announcement that set the tone for the historic night. “Even warmups, you find yourself just looking up in the crowd the whole time,” said Nelson. “If that’s just a small sample of the support we’re going to get, it’s going to be a really fun year and we’re going to win a lot of games.”
The Gargoyles continue their opening homestand next weekend at First Horizon Coliseum, where they’ll face the Reading Royals on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets and more info are available now at gargoyleshockey.com.