For the first time in 13 years, professional hockey was back in Trenton on Saturday night, and the hometown team gave fans plenty to celebrate.
The Trenton Ironhawks made their debut at CURE Insurance Arena with a 4-1 victory over the Adirondack Thunder, delivering the team’s first home win and its first victory under the Ironhawks name.
There were plenty of other firsts, too. The first Ironhawks goal on home ice came from a New Jersey native. The first chants of “Let’s Go Hawks” echoed through the arena. And, as the game grew more physical, fans wasted little time reviving some of hockey’s less polite traditions, including chants directed at the opposing team and referees.
From the player introductions and glowstick show to a fight-filled final minute, the atmosphere was loud and energetic.
But for many in the sold-out crowd, the biggest victory had little to do with the final score. It was simply having professional hockey back in the capital city.
Trenton had been without a professional hockey team since the Trenton Titans ceased operations in 2013. The Ironhawks arrived this year following the relocation of the Utah Grizzlies, bringing ECHL hockey back to an arena where generations of local fans had watched the sport.
In May, the Ironhawks announced an affiliation agreement with the New York Islanders, creating another connection between Trenton and the larger professional hockey world.
Remembering the Titans and welcoming the Ironhawks
Ironhawks light blue dominated the stands Saturday night, but there were plenty of other colors mixed in: Flyers orange, Devils red, Islanders blue and even the black and white of the former Trenton Titans.
The jerseys reflected the range of hockey loyalties represented in the building, as well as a shared enthusiasm for seeing the sport return to Mercer County.
For longtime Titans fans, the evening was also a chance to revisit memories of a team that played in Trenton from 1999 to 2013 and became part of the area’s sports culture.
“It was a special time,” said Joe Bortak of Bordentown, a former Titans season ticket holder. “It wasn’t just hockey, it was a community of friends. We have to recreate those memories.”
That connection extended well beyond Trenton.
Lauren and Sarah Mickley traveled from Greenwich, Connecticut, to attend the opener. Both graduated from Rider University in the same arena where the Ironhawks now play.
The sisters had also followed the Bridgeport Islanders, whose relocation to Hamilton, Ontario, left them looking for another nearby connection to professional hockey. With Trenton now serving as an ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, the Ironhawks offer fans another opportunity to follow developing players.
“We love the ECHL and AHL,” the Mickley sisters said. “You could go to any NHL game and wouldn’t get the same type of fans that are into it. The fans here know the players more, and it’s a more intimate environment.”
The return of hockey also carries significance for young players growing up in the region.
Mercer County native Ross Colton, now with the Nashville Predators, has credited attending Trenton Titans games with helping develop his love of hockey. Colton went on to score the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021.
For the fans who returned Saturday, the hope is that the Ironhawks can create similar memories for another generation.
New York Islanders assistant general manager Chris Lamoriello, who attended the opener, said the crowd demonstrated the community’s commitment to bringing hockey back.
“It’s tremendous,” Lamoriello told MercerMe. “It’s a credit to everybody, the community, the leadership in government, the county executive, the mayor. I said this in the spring, but hockey belongs here, and to see the community rally around this I couldn’t be more excited and I am proud to see it.”
New Jersey players make their mark
The Ironhawks gave the home crowd something to cheer about early, with two New Jersey natives providing memorable moments in the team’s Trenton debut.
Mikey Colella of Washington Township scored the first Ironhawks goal on home ice. Middletown native John Gelatt followed with the team’s second goal.
Both scored against Adirondack goaltender Jeremy Brodeur, the son of legendary New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur.
The local connections were evident even before the puck dropped. During player introductions, the team’s New Jersey natives received enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
The 4-1 victory gave fans an encouraging first look at their new team, but the appeal of the Ironhawks goes beyond the scoreboard.
The ECHL is part of professional hockey’s development system, operating below the American Hockey League, which is generally the final minor league stop before the NHL.
For fans, that means an opportunity to watch players working toward the next level of their careers, often in smaller arenas with a more personal atmosphere than the NHL.
Scott Schaliff of North Jersey said that ambition is part of what makes the league exciting.
“We are gonna watch hungry players knowing that they are one level away from getting closer to their dream,” Schaliff said. “It’s hungry, this is a hungry league.”
For Ironhawks players, the organizational connection runs through the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario, and ultimately to the NHL club in New York.
Lamoriello said the Islanders see the Ironhawks as both a place for individual development and a team expected to compete.
“I think everyone is going to see that this is a younger group of players,” Lamoriello said. “But the development gets better and better every day. I’ve been very impressed with Chuck [Weber, head coach] and his dedication. We are here as partners to support everything, but certainly we’re excited about the prospects and not only individually but collectively and competing for a championship.”
A new chapter for hockey in Trenton
Saturday’s opener was as much a community celebration as a sporting event.
Outside the arena, fans gathered in team jerseys while live music and entertainment helped build anticipation. Inside, the crowd joined in the introductions and chants, then watched the Ironhawks deliver a winning performance in their first home appearance.
The evening offered a reminder of what Trenton had been missing since the Titans departed 13 years ago: a professional hockey team to follow throughout the season and a gathering place for fans from across the region.
There are still plenty of games ahead, and the challenge of building a lasting franchise extends well beyond one successful opening night.
But for one Saturday in October, the hockey community that once filled the arena for Titans games had a new team to cheer for.
The Ironhawks have 35 home games remaining this season. Their next home game is scheduled for Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, against the Adirondack Thunder at 6 p.m.
