Havoc Complete Weekend Sweep of Mayhem

HUNTSVILLE – A motivated Macon Mayhem team took the ice on Saturday night at the Von Braun Center, trying to prove that the previous evening’s 6-3 drubbing was a fluke.

However, the Havoc didn’t get the memo and skated a tough 4-2 win over the visiting Mayhem. For the second night in a row, the team was bolstered by a pair of goals from defenseman Peter SIkalis.

“We had another strong effort tonight and closed out the weekend with our best period,” said Havoc Head Coach Glenn Detulleo. “Solid goaltending and big goals from Pete helped us get it done.”

In a game where there were only three penalties called in the entire contest – all on Macon – the Havoc (26-14-2) were lucky enough to get the opportunity and capitalize on it. The first score came on the powerplay late in the third period. Derek Perl shuttled a pass toSikalis at the top of right faceoff circle who in turn ripped a one-timer past the Mayhem keeper with 1:48 left on the clock. Huntsville took that slim lead in to the first intermission.

After the 5,224 fans enjoyed the 9th annual Wiener Dog Races during the first break, hockey action on the ice made things a bit more tense. Macon (22-16-5) knotted up the game 7:38 into the second period, but the tie lasted only 17 seconds. A Mayhem defender tipped a cross zone pass from Ryan Salkeld in to the air and Sikalis was on the other end to bat it into an open net. The Havoc once again held a one-goal lead at the intermission.

The Mayhem proved they would not go quietly, scoring five seconds after the third period faceoff to tie the game again. The Havoc patiently waited for their opportunity and, at 4:45 in to the period, Tyler Piacentini sent a quick pass from the right faceoff circle to the left, where John Schiavo was waiting to put the puck into the net and re-take the lead, this time for good.

Kyle Sharkey beat out a Mayhem defender for a loose puck with less than a minute remaining and sent it into an empty net to cap the scoring and give Huntsville a 4-2 victory.

The Havoc outshot Macon 41 to 28 and keeper Max Milosek made 26 saves in his third straight win.

The video highlights from the game, including footage of the Wiener Dog Races at intermission, can be found on the Havoc YouTube channel.

The four standings points the Havoc earned this weekend help distance themselves from fourth place Macon and Knoxville in the SPHL standings.

Sikalis not only had duplicate efforts in consecutive games, but the four scores doubled his goal output on the season. He has points in his last four games (4g, 2a).

Salkeld and Perl each recorded two assists, both on Sikalis’ scores. Salkeld extends his point streak to five games (2g, 5a).

Sharkey also has a five-game point streak going (3g, 3a). He has already eclipsed last year’s point total, averaging exactly a point per game (12g, 26a) over 38 contests.

Joining the five-game streak parade is Piacentini with four goals and three assists over thelast handful.

 

Article and photo credit: Huntsville Havoc