GREENSBORO, NC – The Greensboro Gargoyles, proud ECHL affiliate of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes and the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, prepare for a three-game series against the Maine Mariners with two games as a part of Wizard Weekend

The Gargoyles come off a successful three game weekend against the Norfolk Admirals, capturing 5 of 6 possible points. The Gargoyles grabbed their first two regulation wins of the season on Saturday and Sunday to rise up to tied for second in the North Division standing with 8 points. The Gargoyles have an active 5 games points streak with a 3-0-2 record in that span. The Mariners however have only played 5 games and are 3-2-0, splitting a two game series last weekend against Trois-Rivières with an overtime win. 

The Mariners penalty kill has been particularly tough in the early part of the season; the third ranked penalty kill in the league has 3 shorthanded goals and only 1 powerplay goal allowed. All 3 short handed goals have been scored by Max Andreev who leads the Mariners with 3 goals and 4 assists. 

STAT LEADERS – 

Goals: Leyh (4)

Assists: Lindauer (6)

Points: Lindauer (9)

+/-: Lindauer, Oden (+6)

PIMs: De Jong (16)

Wins: Khazheyev (2)

GAA: Velmakin (2.91)

SV%: Velmakin (.933)

Roster Transactions – 

The Gargoyles received Forward Matt Quercia, reassigned from AHL Chicago on Tuesday. Quercia, 27, is in his sixth-season playing professional hockey. The 6-foot-3, 216 pound heavyweight played his first five seasons with the Wheeling Nailers in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, receiving one call up to the AHL where he played six games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the 2023-24 season. Quercia was the Nailers Captain last season, leading the Nailers to a top finish in the North Division standings and a trip to the Eastern Conference Final. He signed an AHL two-way contract this summer, starting the season in Chicago while appearing in four games for the Wolves. Quercia has appeared in 213 ECHL games, registering 106 points (51G-55A) and 539 penalty minutes. At the AHL level, he has 18 penalty minutes and a +2 rating in 10 games played.

The Gargoyles then signed the 2023-24 ECHL Defensemen of the Year Patrick Kudla to a Standard Player Contract (SPC). Kudla, 30, is a ninth-year professional from Guelph, ON with playing experience in the ECHL, AHL, Slovakia, Czechia, ICEHL, and recently EIHL. While being contracted with the Idaho Steelheads between 2022-2025, Kudla received four AHL call-ups from the Colorado Eagles, Tucson Roadrunners, Syracuse Crunch, and Calgary Wranglers playing 10 games. In 171 ECHL appearances with the Steelheads, he recorded 140 points (26G-114A) and finished at a point per game in 2023-24 leading to his ECHL Defenseman of the Year nomination with 60 points (10G-50A) in 60 games played.

Upcoming Schedule –

Thursday, November 5 vs Maine Mariners 10:30 AM (School Day)

Friday-Saturday, November 7-8 PM vs Maine Mariners (Wizard Weekend)

Thursday, November 12 vs Worcester Railers 7 PM (I Love Greensboro Night)

Saturday, November 14 vs Worcester Railers 7 PM (Cancer Awareness Presented by Cone Health)

Friday, November 20 at South Carolina Stingrays 7 PM

Saturday, November 21 at Greenville Swamp Rabbits 4 PM

Sunday, November 22 at Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3 PM

For more information, visit gargoyleshockey.com or call (336) 365-0295.