WEEKEND PREVIEW: Aviators travel to New Hampshire to take on last-place Mountain Kings
With the calendar turned and the second half of the season well underway, the Elmira Aviators (12-15-5-1) face a crucial series in New Hampshire this weekend. Elmira has the chance to climb ever-closer to hockey .500 and gain ground in the division standings.
Here’s what’s in store and what’s at stake for the Aviators in their weekend series at the New Hampshire Mountain Kings (9-18-2-3).
CHANCE TO ACCEND
Elmira has proven it can stand toe-to-toe with any foe in the East Division. Last weekend, the Aviators faced the dominant Maryland Black Bears (28-3-2-1) and earned two points by getting both games to overtime. Elmira was, of course, disappointed to come up on the short end of both extra sessions, but few teams have taken points off the Bears.
In fact, Maryland is on a 14-game point streak, going 13-0-1-0 during this stretch. That one loss came to the Aviators in early December.
The Aviators have also proven they have what it takes to play with the other top teams in the division. Elmira took three out of four possible points in the November series against the second-place Maine Nordiques (20-10-2-1) and third-place Rochester Jr. Americans (21-10-0-0).
Though the Aviators have been a thorn in the side of top teams in the East, they’ve struggled to handle business against teams in the back half of the division standings. Elmira split series against the Danbury Hat Tricks (14-16-1-3) and the Northeast Generals (18-12-3-1) to end 2025 and even split with the last-place Mountain Kings when they faced off Halloween weekend.
The purple and black’s struggle to sweep teams around them in the standings has stagnated them in the push for a playoff spot. The Aviators have remained in ninth place for nearly two months.
This weekend’s series against New Hampshire serves as a tremendous opportunity for Elmira to pick up its second sweep of the season and first on the road. With a pair of wins, Elmira could climb as high as seventh place, one position back of the Johnstown Tomahawks and the final playoff spot. The Aviators face off with the Tomahawks when they return home to Elmira next weekend.
Bottom line: the Aviators need to take advantage of the opportunity to play a team at the bottom of the standings. The Mountain Kings will have a similar line of thinking.
THE MOUNTAIN KINGS
The Aviators are 3-5-0-0 lifetime against the Mountain Kings. They are 1-1-0-0 this season and carry an impressive 3-1-0-0 record at Delta Dental Arena lifetime.
The squads have matched up for one series this season, up in New Hampshire, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, in head coach Leeor Shtrom’s second week as Elmira bench boss.
In Game 1 of that series, the Aviators built a 3-1 lead through two periods before everything unraveled in the third. The Mountain Kings buried five unanswered goals, highlighted by a Cole Roenick hat trick.
Elmira responded strongly in Game 2, coming back from a deficit three separate times and getting the winning goal in overtime. Defenseman Zach Buffone went coast-to-coast to score his first career NAHL goal and send the Aviators home victorious.
Buffone was named NAHL 2nd Star of the Week for his game-winning score and three-point weekend at New Hampshire.
In recent weeks, the Mountain Kings have been playing good hockey. Like the Aviators, both games in their most recent series went to an extra session. However, unlike Elmira, New Hampshire won one of those overtime games.
The Mountain Kings have split their last two series, picking up five of the last eight available points. Before this recent run of form, New Hampshire had lost 11 straight games beginning with that overtime loss to Elmira on Nov. 1.
Part of New Hampshire’s recent turnaround has been the massive turnover in its roster. The Aviators will see at least 12 new Mountain Kings since the teams last faced off in early November.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Hampshire: Ronnie Hill (‘06 F)
The Mountain Kings recently acquired Hill from the Wisconsin Windigo. Hill tallied six goals and 12 points in 25 games with Wisconsin this season. But in his first series with New Hampshire last weekend, Hill went off with three goals and a game-winning primary assist against Philadelphia.
The Mountain Kings are hoping Hill will continue providing top-of-the-lineup production for a team that ranks last in the division in goals scored.
Elmira: Jack Kohlmann (‘06 F)
Kohlmann made his return to the Aviator lineup after a near month long absence due to injury. The St. Louis native made an immediate impact against Maryland, scoring a highlight reel goal to kickstart an Elmira comeback in Friday’s game.
Kohlmann is tied for the team lead in goals with 12 and had an excellent series in New Hampshire earlier this season, scoring twice and picking up three points overall against the Mountain Kings.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
The Aviators are available to stream on NATV and to listen on WINGZ93. Game 1 at Delta Dental Arena is Friday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. and Game 2 is Saturday, Jan. 10, at 6 p.m.
Fans can also keep tabs on the action by following the Aviators on social media @Elmiraaviatorsnahl.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].