HUNTERSVILLE, NC (February 15, 2022) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) today announced that goaltenders Hayden Stewart of the Birmingham Bulls and Kristian Stead of the Knoxville Ice Bears have been named the Warrior Hockey/SPHL Co-Players of the Week for February 6-13.
Stewart went 2-0-0, with a 0.96 goals against average and a 0.974 save percentage in leading Birmingham to a pair of wins over Evansville, helping the Bulls post the league’s third-best record over the past 10 games. After making 30 saves in a 2-1 overtime win on Friday, the Rockford, IL native stopped 46 of 47 Evansville shots the next night as Birmingham rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the Thunderbolts 3-1. Stewart made 16 saves in the first period alone as the Bulls were outshot 17-3 for the period and 47-23 for the game.
Stead was equally outstanding in helping Knoxville to a road sweep of Pensacola, recording both wins in posting a 1.00 goals against average and a 0.972 save percentage. The Merritt, BC native made 33 saves in a 4-1 win on Friday as the Ice Bears were outshot 34-20. Stead had another strong outing between the pipes on Saturday, stopping 36 of 37 Pensacola shots in a 2-1 win over the Ice Flyers, though Knoxville was again outshot 37-28.
Also nominated: Brian Billett, Evansville (1-1-1, 1.97 gaa, 0.925 save %), Donald Olivieri, Fayetteville (2 gp, 2g, 1a, shg, gwg), Sy Nutkevitch, Huntsville (2 gp, 1g, gwg), Dylan Carabia, Pensacola (2 gp, 1g, +2), Marcel Godbout, Peoria (3 gp, 3g, 2a, +3, hat trick, gwg), Taylor Pryce, Quad City (2 gp, 3g, +3), Matt O’Dea, Roanoke (2 gp, 2g, 1a, shg) and Chase Perry, Vermilion County (0-1-1, 4.78 gaa, 0.894 save percentage)
