Playoff Series Preview: Iron Knights vs Baymen

The PIHA Minor Keystone Division quarterfinals hit the floor at Yellow Breeches Sports Center on Saturday, February 7th, with the 4th-seeded Rink Rat Iron Knights set to take on the 5th-seeded Chesapeake Baymen in a best-of-three showdown. With a semifinal date against the top-seeded Steel City Shockwave looming, both teams will battle for survival in this early morning playoff tilt.

📆 Series Schedule

• 🕘 Game 1: February 7, 2026 – 11:00 AM

• 🕘 Game 2: February 7, 2026 – 11:40 AM

• 🕘 Game 3 (If Necessary): February 7, 2026 – 12:20 PM

🟫 Rink Rat Iron Knights

Regular Season Record: 6-11-3
Goals For / Against: 71 GF / 93 GA

The Iron Knights may have entered the playoffs as the 4th seed, but they showed steady improvement throughout the season and possess one of the division’s most dangerous offensive weapons in Cody Rotkiske, who finished the regular season with 19 goals and 26 points in 19 games. Supporting him is a trio of double-digit scorers in Alec Moyer, Christian Wenger, and Ty Loftus, all of whom bring balanced scoring and playoff experience.

The Knights also dominated the Baymen in both of their head-to-head matchups, winning 13-1 and 10-3 in a back-to-back on October 4th. Their offensive output in those games will give them confidence heading into this series.

🔑 Key to Victory:
Start fast and play with pace. When the Knights establish momentum early, they force teams into high-event games—something the Baymen have struggled with all season.

⚠️ Potential Weakness:
Defensive breakdowns. Despite their firepower, the Knights allowed 93 goals in 20 games—the second-most in the division. Maintaining structure in transition will be crucial to avoid unnecessary pressure.

🔵 Chesapeake Baymen

Regular Season Record: 1-19-0
Goals For / Against: 41 GF / 131 GA

The Baymen have had a tough inaugural campaign, but they've continued to show heart and compete every weekend. Their offense is led by James Krolikowski (20 points), Anthony Del Buono (12 G, 7 A), and Alex Horn, who combined for 53 of the team’s 101 total points. While results haven’t gone their way, this young squad is hungry for growth and the playoffs provide a fresh start.

Their first-round task won’t be easy, but they’ve had a month to reset and prepare—and playoff hockey is full of surprises.

🔑 Key to Victory:
Limit turnovers and capitalize on power play chances. The Baymen will need to slow the pace and strike in moments of advantage to stay in reach.

⚠️ Potential Weakness:
Team defense. Chesapeake allowed 6.5 goals per game and struggled to keep teams out of the middle of the floor. If they can’t tighten up defensively, the Iron Knights’ firepower may prove too much.

🤝 Head-to-Head This Season

• 🟩 Oct 4: Iron Knights 13, Baymen 1

• 🟩 Oct 4: Iron Knights 10, Baymen 3

🏁 What to Expect

While the Iron Knights enter the series as heavy favorites with two dominant wins over the Baymen earlier in the season, playoff hockey brings a different energy. Chesapeake will be looking to play spoiler and pull off the upset behind strong performances from their top line.

Expect Game 1 to set the tone. If the Knights come out sharp, their depth and scoring could lead to a quick two-game sweep. But if the Baymen can weather the early storm and keep things close, they may force a deciding Game 3 and make things interesting.