Oakland Skates Make Historic MHL Debut in Preseason Sweep

There is always something special about the final weeks of summer, when the days begin to shorten, the temperatures drop, and hockey starts creeping back onto the calendar. With the 2026–27 Mountain Hockey League (MHL) season just around the corner, fans were given their first taste of preseason action this weekend in Northern California.

Officially joining the MHL for the upcoming season are newcomers Oakland Skates, a franchise reviving the spirit of Oakland’s professional roller hockey roots from the 1990s. The franchise has been brought back to life and will officially take its place in the MHL this season alongside several other new faces.

What better way to introduce themselves than with a “Battle of California” against their Southern California neighbors, the San Diego Renegades?

For the Skates, it turned into a weekend to remember.

Not only did Oakland sweep the two-game preseason series, but they did it in front of two sold-out home crowds at the Oakland Ice Arena. A remarkable early testament to the work Owner Cassidy Levin and the organization have put into bringing hockey back to the city.

Game One: History Made

Friday night provided the first glimpse of what Oakland could bring to the MHL.

The opening period was a feeling-out process, with both teams looking remarkably even as they worked to establish their rhythm and figure one another out. Eventually, it was the Skates who drew first blood.

Matt Ivanov etched his name into Oakland hockey history, scoring the first goal in franchise history and sending the Oakland Ice Arena into a frenzy.

The Renegades responded by increasing the physicality, but Oakland refused to be intimidated. The Skates continued to build their lead before pulling away decisively in the third period, ultimately securing a 6–0 victory.

While the offense provided plenty for the home crowd to celebrate, it was Oakland goaltender Nikita Kozak who stole the show.

The former Stanford University goaltender was outstanding throughout the night, repeatedly denying San Diego opportunities to claw its way back into the contest. Kozak's performance earned him a shutout in the first game of the Skates' MHL era and ensured Oakland would leave opening night with a victory.

Game One belonged to Oakland. History had been made.

And the crowd loved every second of it.

Welcome to the Mountain Hockey League, Oakland Skates.

Game Two: San Diego Fights Back

If Friday night was about making history, Saturday was about proving it wasn't a fluke.

With the opening-night jitters gone and the rust beginning to come off, both teams looked more settled from the opening faceoff. Despite the 6–0 scoreline the night before, the first game had been far more competitive than the final score suggested — and San Diego arrived determined to even the series.

The Renegades also added some valuable MHL experience to their lineup for the preseason series, bringing in players on loan from the nearby Santa Rosa Growlers in Sampietro and Rosefield, as well as the Breckenridge Vipers in Kendall and Day.

It was Day who provided the perfect start for San Diego, chasing down a rebound and opening the scoring in the first period.

Renegades captain Cole Diamond then doubled the advantage before the end of the opening frame, giving San Diego a 2–0 lead and suddenly turning the Battle of California into a genuine contest.

But the young Skates had no intention of letting their home debut slip away.

Playing in front of another sold-out crowd, Oakland responded with the same energy and determination that had carried them through the opening night.

Zac Zomaya followed up a rebound to cut the deficit to 2–1 before 18-year-old Mongolian international Otgon-Od Purevdavaa a product of the local youth hockey system and Oakland Bears, found the back of the net to tie the game heading into the third.

And, fittingly, the Skates saved their best for last.

Relentless throughout the final period, Oakland overwhelmed the Renegades and pulled away to secure a 6–3 victory, completing the preseason sweep and sending their home fans into celebration once again.

Oakland Has Arrived

Two games. Two wins. A perfect start.

More importantly, the weekend represented something much bigger than a preseason record.

Oakland hockey is back.

The Skates have officially opened a new chapter for hockey in the city, and if this weekend was any indication, they have arrived in the MHL with plenty of energy, ambition and support behind them.

For Cassidy Levin, the Skates organization and the thousands of fans who packed the Oakland Ice Arena, it was a weekend that will not soon be forgotten.

The first wins are in the books. The franchise history has begun.

Hockey is back in Oakland, and if this weekend is anything to go by, it's here to stay.

We can't wait to see more of the Oakland Skates when the 2026–27 Mountain Hockey League season officially gets underway.

Photo - Jerome Parmer (IG tag: DrJ_Oakland)