Contact: awest@thesphl.com
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (January 20, 2024) – The SPHL continues its 20th season with five games this evening. You can follow all the action this season at http://sphltv.com/
Birmingham @ Fayetteville (6:00 p.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. CST)
Birmingham Bulls (20-6-4, 44 pts, 2nd)
• Hayden Stewart leads the SPHL in GAA (1.81), sv% (.934), wins (15), and leads the league lead in shutouts (3).
• Nikita Kozyrev is second among all rookies with 27 points (9g, 18a). His 18 assists are the second most among rookies
• Drake Glover ranks fourth in the SPHL with 33 points (20g, 13a). His 20 goals are tied for the SPHL lead
• MacGregor Sinclair ranks seventh (tied) among rookies with 20 points (7g, 13a)
• Birmingham is 1-1-0 against Fayetteville
Fayetteville Marksmen (21-5-3, 45 pts, 1st)
• Simon Boyko was named the SPHL Player of the Month for December after posting 16 points (8g, 8a) and a +3 rating over 10 games played.
• Boyko leads the SPHL with 123 shots
• Boyko leads the SPHL with 36 points (17g, 19a)
• Boyko is second in the SPHL with 17 goals
• Ryan Leith leads all rookies with a +16 rating
• Home opener record 4,711 fans packed the Crown Coliseum
• Fayetteville is 1-1-0 against Birmingham
Peoria @ Evansville (8:00 p.m. EST, 7:00 p.m. CST)
Peoria Rivermen (18-8-4, 40 pts, 4th)
• Zach Wilkie leads all defensemen with 29 points (6g, 23a), his 23 assists are the most among blueliners
• Tristan Trudel is fourth among all rookies with 11 goals
• Coach’s son Tristian Trudel suits up for the Rivermen this season, becoming the first-ever father-son coaching and playing duo in SPHL history
• Franchise record, 8,701 fans vs Quad City on December 14th
• Peoria is 5-2-1 against Evansville
Evansville Thunderbolts (12-13-3, 27 pts, 7th)
• Bair Gendunov is sixth in the SPHL with 28 points (12g, 16a)
• Matt Dorsey ranks sixth (tied) among rookies with 15 points (6g, 9a)
• Chays Ruddy ranks 10th (tied) among defensemen with 10 points (4g, 6a)
• Evansville is 3-4-1 against Peoria
Roanoke @ Huntsville (8:00 p.m. EST, 7:00 p.m. CST)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (18-8-3, 41 pts, 3rd)
• Nick Ford departed for Poland to play professionally
• Xavier Filion leads all rookies with four game-winning goals
• Austyn Roudebush is second in the SPHL in goals against average (2.07) and save percentage (.923)
• Brenden Pepe ranks fourth among defensemen with 20 points (5g, 15a)
• Hoisted their 2023 Presidents Cup banner in front of their home crowd for the first time in franchise history
• Roanoke is 1-2-1 against Huntsville
Huntsville Havoc (16-11-4, 36 pts, 5th)
• Brian Wilson is fifth among SPHL goaltenders with a 2.35 gaa and a .917 save percentage.
• Wilson also ranks fourth in the SPHL with 474 saves
• David Thomson is third (tied) with three game-winning goals
• Alex Kielczewski is third (tied) among defensemen with 20 points (3g, 17a) while his 17 assists are also third among blueliners.
• Huntsville is 3-1-0 against Roanoke
Macon @ Pensacola (8:05 p.m. EST, 7:05 p.m. CST)
Macon Mayhem (7-17-5, 19 Pts, 10th)
• Josh Boyko leads the SPHL with 663 saves
• Alex LaPlante (15g, 11a) ranks third among rookies with 26 points
• Michael McChesney is tied for the top spot overall with seven power-play goals, and leads all rookies
• McChesney also ranks fourth among rookies with 24 points (14g, 10a)
• Macon is 1-3-1 against Pensacola
Pensacola Ice Flyers (14-16-0, 28 pts, 6th)
• Recently acquired Joseph Widmar is third in the SPHL with 34 points (7g, 27a)
• Widmar’s 27 assists are the most in the SPHL
• Zac Herrmann is second (tied) among defensemen with five goals and is sixth in points with 15 (5g, 10a)
• Brett Mercones is seventh (tied) with 26 points (16g, 10a) and his 16 goals are the second most in the SPHL
• Garrett Milan is ninth (tied) with 29 points (8g, 21a). Milan’s 21 assists are the fourth most in the league (tied)
• Pensacola is 4-1-0 against Macon
Knoxville @ Quad City (8:10 p.m. EST, 7:10 p.m. CST)
Knoxville Ice Bears (8-18-4, 20 pts, 9th)
• Brady Fleurent leads the Ice Bears with 13 goals
• Dawson McKinney (4g, 13a) ranks ninth (tied) among rookies with 17 points
• Tyler Rollo (5g, 10a) ranks 10th (tied) among rookies with 15 points
• Knoxville is 0-2-0 against Quad City
Quad City Storm (13-15-0, 26 pts, 8th)
• Matt Ustaski (20g, 15a) is second in the SPHL with 35 points and his 20 goals are the most in the SPHL (tied)
• Leif Mattson is seventh (tied) in the SPHL with 28 points (13g, 15a)
• Defenseman Dillion Fournier is third amongst all blueliners with 21 points (3g, 18a). His 18 assists are the second most among defensemen
• Tommy Tsicos scored a goal in his 200th appearance for the franchise in a 4-1 defeat to the Rivermen earlier this season
• Quad City is 2-0-0 against Knoxville
