Santa Rosa Growlers 2026-2027 Season Preview

Sonoma County’s typical early autumn heatwave is wrapping up, but the ice inside of Snoopy’s Home Ice is already set for another season of Santa Rosa Growlers hockey.

The Santa Rosa Growlers will open their 7th season with an away game in Oakland on Friday October 30th before playing the first of 18 games in front of their hometown fans at Snoopy’s Home Ice on November 14th. Some familiar foes have remained on the Growlers schedule, but Sonoma County hockey fans will be able to get their first chance to glimpse of some new teams in action; Dallas Scorpions (Dec. 4th and 5th), Kenosha Knights (Jan. 15th and 16th), Boston Wahoos (Jan. 29th and 30th), Vancouver Hockey Club (April 9th and 10th). Additionally, the Growlers will welcome another local Senior A team into the mix, the Oakland Skates. The Skates will host the Growlers at Oakland Ice Center on October 30th and February 19th, while the Growlers will welcome the Skates to Santa Rosa on November 14th and February 20th. Season tickets and individual game tickets are on sale now!

Last season, the Growlers spent much of the year building chemistry as they had more players make their debut with the team since their inaugural season. With just a few players moving on and plenty of skill remaining on the roster, head coach Mikayla Yerby will have to make difficult decisions for each game this year. Players who made their debut last season that hope to have more of a full-season impact this year include Bay Area native Tyler Love, Michigan products John Hayward and Bryon Giacchina, Massachusetts born Jack Lonergan, plus Sonoma County locals Keith Clements Jr. and Owen Hamblin.

Growler fans have become accustomed to the home team scoring plenty of goals, and there is no reason to think this season will be any different. At forward, last season’s team MVP Neil Conway will be returning along with a highly skilled top-9 forward group including players that have been with the Growlers since the beginning, John Riley, Justin Havriliak, John Keshishian. Some other two-way forwards that are looking to take bigger roles on and off the ice are Manny Tonna and Ryan Sweeney along with a couple of Sonoma County natives that are looking to build upon their first full Growler season, Toby Petrus and Josh Sampietro.

If you are looking at the Growlers forward lineup, you can’t look past some grinders that have become fan favorites over the years for their blue-collar style of play. Original Growlers Sam Davis and Cam Davis (yes, they’re brothers) and Mike Melka have become regulars on the ice when the team is looking for some physicality to change the momentum of the game.

The Growlers biggest off-season loss is on the back end. The departure of #1 defenseman, Kyle Kruenegel. “Kru” signed a contract to play with his hometown FPHL team, the Stockton Thunder. Growlers players, coaches, and fans know the dominant player that the Thunder have received, and we all wish him nothing but the best.

For the last 4 seasons, the Growlers defensive lineup has stayed remarkably consistent. This year may change that as newer additions have already begun to battle the old guard for a spot in the lineup. Highly skilled 3rd year player Egan Wolford is likely to move back to natural position of defense. Keith Clements Jr. is a young and skilled player who played a few games with the Growlers last season before and after his final season in the EHLP. Owen Hamblin is another young player with a big body that is on track to carve out his place as a Growlers top-6 defenseman.

Returning veteran members of the d-core have been around for a number of seasons and are all well above 100 career Senior A games played. Colin Ridenour still has his seemingly endless motor. Adam Arnold had a career high in goals last season and still continues to improve well into his 30’s. Fan favorite Cody Mathieu has vowed to continue standing up for his teammates while physically dominating opponents with or without the puck. Though captain Blake Johnson will miss the first few months of the season following off-season surgery, the oldest skater on the Growlers will return and continue to give everything to ensure victory for his team.

Head coach Mikayla Yerby will be behind the bench for her first full season after being promoted from assistant coach just two games into last season. Yerby has had a full off season to process the results from her inaugural season and is coming into this year more prepared than any Growler coach before her. Returning to her staff will be assistant coach Greg Cornelious and goalie coach, Tim Scally.

Joining the coaching staff behind the bench will be recently retired Growler forward Alexi Kulikouski. Alexi has been a member of the Growler family before he wore the jersey for the first time. A tremendous leader in the locker room and a driving force behind the offense for a number of seasons, it will be difficult to replace his offensive production, but impossible to replicate what he has meant to our team. The entire organization is grateful that Alexi will still be guiding the next wave of Growlers to success.

Backstopping the Growlers will be returning goalies for the third consecutive season. Santa Rosa native Alejandro Barajas will look to improve upon his stellar numbers from last year. Mark Schacker will come back as the Growlers oldest player. Since moving into his 40’s, he has turned the clock back and been stellar in his performance since joining the Growlers a few years ago. The Growlers typically split the back to back games over a weekend between these two keepers, but with two single game weekends, both men will battle to prove to coach Yerby who is more deserving of those starts.

Whether you are a die-hard hockey nut, simply a fan of the Growlers, or just looking for some high-energy entertainment on a Friday or Saturday night in Sonoma County, Growlers hockey is for all ages. Home games nearly always sell out, so get your tickets today!