Peach State Puck

What really happens behind the scenes before a professional hockey game? In Episode 15 of Peach State Puck, Matteen Rad sits down with Athens Rock Lobsters Equipment Manager Micah Swift-Taylor for a look at one of hockey's most demanding and overlooked jobs. Micah shares his unlikely journey from learning to skate in Hawaii and playing goalie in Ohio to becoming a professional equipment manager, a...

A new era of Macon Mayhem hockey is beginning to take shape. In Episode 14 of Peach State Puck , Matteen Rad sits down with Graham Tuck, SPHL Broadcaster of the Year and voice of the Macon Mayhem , to preview the 2026-27 season. They break down a dramatically retooled roster, the heavier identity head coach Dave Pszenyczny is building, key returning players like Khaden Henry and Michael Herrera, a...

Georgia hockey has a much deeper history than most people realize. In Episode 13 of Peach State Puck, Matteen Rad sits down with Georgia Hockey Museum founder and historian Jay Jarvis to trace the sport from Georgia's first professional hockey game in Macon in 1968 through the Atlanta Flames, Atlanta Knights, Atlanta Thrashers and today's thriving hockey communities across the state. Jarvis shares...

UGA Hockey is entering a new era. In Episode 12 of Peach State Puck, Matteen Rad sits down with UGA Ice Dawgs head coach John Camp to discuss the growth of hockey at the University of Georgia, the move to Akins Ford Arena, recruiting higher-level talent, and what lies ahead for the 2026-27 season. Camp also shares the unlikely story of how he became a UGA hockey coach, the growth of Georgia hockey...

The landscape of the FPHL is changing, and the Columbus River Dragons believe their opportunity has arrived. In Episode 11 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad sits down with Columbus River Dragons captain and number 11 Kirk Underwood for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, Southern hockey, the changing face of the FPHL, and a Columbus team entering the 2026-27 season with one unmistaka...

How does a professional hockey team in coastal Georgia sell out every single home game it plays? In Episode 10 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad heads south to uncover the formula behind one of the most remarkable success stories in Georgia hockey. Savannah Ghost Pirates Broadcasting and Media Relations Manager Isaac Basinger joins the show to explain how a young ECHL franchise has built a pas...

Something is changing in Atlanta hockey. In Episode 9 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad dives inside the Atlanta Gladiators’ major announcement and what it reveals about the organization’s attempt to reconnect with its history, its fans, and the hockey identity that helped define the franchise. At the center of the episode is the Gladiators’ return to maroon, a move that represents much more t...

A new era of Athens hockey is about to begin. In Episode 8 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad sits down with new Athens Rock Lobsters head coach Scott Burt for his first extended public conversation since taking over the team ahead of its inaugural season in the SPHL. After the latest news from around Georgia hockey, including developments surrounding Atlanta’s pursuit of an NHL franchise, new...

What does it take to build a hockey player? More importantly, what does it take to build a lifelong hockey fan? In Episode 7 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad explores one of the biggest challenges facing hockey in Georgia and across the United States. How do you keep young players engaged, excited, and connected to the sport for years to come? After opening with the latest news from around Ge...

Every hockey game begins long before the opening faceoff. Before the lights come on, before the cameras roll, and before a single goal is scored, hours of preparation have already taken place behind the scenes. In this episode of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad takes listeners inside the world of minor league hockey broadcasting and reveals what it truly takes to bring a live game to fans from...

In Episode 5 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad shines a spotlight on the people who rarely receive the recognition they deserve but have helped shape hockey throughout Georgia for decades. While players score the goals and coaches draw up the game plans, the sport’s foundation is built by countless individuals working behind the scenes. Through an in-depth conversation with longtime ice techni...

For nearly two decades, the city of Augusta, Georgia has experienced one of the most fascinating stories in minor league hockey. Two professional franchises arrived with promise. Both eventually disappeared. Now, with the return of the Augusta Lynx to the ECHL, one question remains. Can hockey finally work in Augusta? In this episode of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad dives into the complete hi...

In Episode 3 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad takes listeners behind the curtain of professional hockey to reveal a side of the game that fans rarely get to experience. While the action on the ice lasts just 60 minutes, the real story of minor league hockey unfolds during the countless hours spent on buses, in hotel rooms, at roadside restaurants, and in arenas scattered across North America....

In Episode 2 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad pulls back the curtain and shares the deeply personal story of how hockey became one of the defining passions of his life. What begins as a childhood memory of Atlanta Thrashers games and hockey video games evolves into an unexpected journey that spans continents, family connections, professional sports, and ultimately a career behind the micropho...

In the debut episode of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad explores a question that would have sounded absurd to many hockey fans just a decade ago: Has Georgia become a true hockey state? Drawing from his experiences as the play-by-play voice of the Athens Rock Lobsters, Rad takes listeners on a tour of the hockey landscape across Georgia, examining the teams, fan bases, and communities that are...

The story of hockey in Georgia deserves to be told. From Columbus to Macon. Athens to Savannah. Duluth to Augusta. Every rink, every fanbase, every rivalry, every story. Peach State Puck was created to celebrate the people, teams, and communities that are growing the game in a place many people still don't think of as hockey country. Episode 1 drops next week. We'll explore why hockey feels differ...