The 2025-2026 NAHL season is flying by, as the Maryland Black Bears are two games away from hitting the halfway mark of the season. The Black Bears enter this upcoming weekend with the most goals for (125), wins (23), and points (48) in the entire NAHL, all while riding an eight game win streak that has seen them outscore their opponents 45-13 in that span. If they want to continue this success, they’ll have to take down the Elmira Aviators, who visit Piney Orchard Ice Arena for the final home series of the 2025 calendar year. Elmira has a 9-12-4 record for 22 points and is placed ninth in the East Division.

Maryland’s most recent outing saw them shut out the Philadelphia Rebels for the second time this season on Tuesday. Forward Harrison Smith started the scoring with a first period goal, extending his point streak to eight games and giving the Black Bears a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Anthony Pellitteri made it 2-0 from a point shot. Forward Jaden Sikura iced the game with an empty net goal for a 3-0 win. Goaltender Ryan Denes made 15 saves for his third shutout of the season. This came after a successful weekend sweep against the  Danbury Hat Tricks, where Maryland scored a total of 17 goals in the two games for a dominant pair of wins by scores of 9-2 and 8-4.

The Aviators have not been soaring this season as of late, losing five of their last six games. They were, however, able to halt a four game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Rochester Jr. Americans. Forward Quin Pine opened the scoring in the first period for Elmira for a 1-0 lead. While Rochester tied the game less than two minutes later, forward Yianni Koukoves regained the lead for the Aviators in the second period with a goal to make it 2-1. Despite the Jr. Americans tying the game in the third, Koukoves scored his second goal of the game with under four minutes to play to lift Elmira to a 3-2 win. The next night Rochester got the scoring started before power play goals from Koukoves and forward Jack Kohlmann gave the Aviators a 2-1 lead. The Jr. Americans scored twice in the second period to take a 3-2 lead before Elmira defenseman Andrew Horn tied the game at 3-3 late in the third with another power play goal. The game would end up going to a shootout, where the Aviators were stopped on all three chances and lost the game 4-3.

Maryland has won the prior two games between these two teams, 3-0 and 6-2, at Piney Orchard Ice Arena back in mid September 

Players to Watch:

Harrison Smith (F, MYD): The NAHL’s leader in assists and points has been unstoppable as of late, carrying an eight game point streak that has seen him score seven goals and 17 points in that span. Of the 26 games he has played this season, 15 has seen him record multiple points. The last time Elmira was in town, Smith recorded four assists in a 6-2 Maryland win. 

Yianni Koukoves (F. ELM): Koukoves posted a four point weekend against Rochester and carries a seven game point streak with him into this upcoming weekend. In those seven games, Koukoves has four goals and five assists for nine points. 

Maryland and Elmira take the ice on Friday, December 5th, at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, December 6th, at 7:00 p.m. ET, at Piney Orchard Ice Arena. All games can be streamed on NATV.