Contact: awest@thesphl.com
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (March 26, 2023) – The Southern Professional Hockey League continues its 19th season with four games tonight. You can follow all the action this season at www.sphltv.com
Knoxville @ Roanoke (3:05 p.m. EST, 2:05 p.m. CST)
Knoxville Ice Bears (30-20-3 | 6th, 63 pts)
• Clinched Playoff Berth
• Center Justin MacDonald leads the SPHL with 73 points (32g, 41a), and his 32 goals are a league-best
• MacDonald’s 41 assists are second-best in the league
• MacDonald’s 12 power play goals are tied for the most in the league
• MacDonald was named the SPHL player of the Month for February after posting 16 points, nine goals, and seven assists in nine games played
• When outshooting their opponents, Knoxville is 10-4-1
• Knoxville is 5-6-0 against Roanoke
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (28-17-5 | 4th, 61 pts)
• Clinched Playoff Berth
• Billy Vizzo and Mac Jansen lead the Dawgs with 17 goals
• Nick Ford (14g, 34a) leads the Dawgs with 48 points
• Ford’s 34 assists are a team-best
• Roanoke defenseman Stephen Alvo is second amongst all blue liners with 105 shots
• Goalie Austyn Roudebush boasts a league-best 22 wins and is fourth with a 2.41 goals-against average
• Roanoke is 6-4-1 against Knoxville
Peoria @ Quad City (4:15 p.m. EST, 3:15 p.m. CST)
Peoria Rivermen (34-13-4 | 1st, 72 pts)
• *Clinched Playoff Berth*
• Alec Hagaman leads the Rivermen in goals (19), assists (32), and points (51)
• Alec Hagaman is tied for fourth in the league with 14 power play assists
• Tyler Barrow is ninth among rookies with 30 points (11g, 19a)
• Zach Wilkie leads the league with a +36 rating
• Eric Levine leads the league with five shutouts
• Peoria was the first team this season to reach the 30-win mark
• Peoria is 10-5-2 against Quad City
Quad City Storm (22-26-2 | 9th, 46 pts)
• Michael Moran leads the Storm with 18 goals
• Tommy Tsicos leads the team lead with 16 assists
• Kevin Resop is third in the league in goals against average (2.48 gaa) and is second in save percentage (0.921%)
• Quad City is 7-10-0 against Peoria
Evansville @ Pensacola (5:05 p.m. EST, 4:05 p.m. CST)
Evansville Thunderbolts (30-19-2 | 5th, 62 pts)
• Clinched Playoff Berth
• Trevor Gorsuch (14 wins) and Zane Steeves (12 wins) rank fifth and tied for seventh in the league overall in wins
• Gorsuch’s 2.19 Goals against average is the best in the SPHL
• Aaron Huffnagle (10g, 39a) leads the Thunderbolts with 49 points
• Huffnagle leads Evansville and is third in the league with 39 assists
• The Thunderbolts are 20-4-0 when scoring first
• Evansville is 3-1-0 against Pensacola
Pensacola Ice Flyers (24-23-5 | 7th, 53 pts)
• Garrett Milan owns the top spot in the league with 43 assists
• Milan is also second in the SPHL with 68 points (25g, 43a)
• Milan became Pensacola’s all-time points leader on February 3rd, securing his 207th point as a member of the Ice Flyers.
• Kolten Olynek (18g, 21a) is third in rookie scoring with 39 points
• Olynek’s 18 goals are tied for first among rookies
• Ryan Orgel is third among rookies in power-play assists (10) and is fifth with 12 power play points
• The Ice Flyers have the top home power play, converting 39 of 102 chances (38.2%), while also having the top-ranked power play overall with 57 goals in 189 chances (30.2%)
• Pensacola is 1-3-0 against Evansville
Macon @ Huntsville (6:00 p.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. CST)
Macon Mayhem (11-36-3 | 10th, 25 pts)
• Rhett Kingston leads the Mayhem in goals with 18
• Tommy Munichiello leads the Mayhem with 34 points (14g, 20a)
• Kyle Soper leads the Mayhem with 22 assists
• Goalie Nick Latinovich ranks tied for fourth in the SPHL with 16 wins, while his 2.78 gaa is the sixth-best amongst netminders (Loaned to ECHL Florida on March 14th)
• Macon is 0-5-0 against Huntsville
Huntsville Havoc (32-15-2 | 3rd, 66 pts)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Sy Nutkevitch is third in the league with 38 assists
• Nutkevitch leads the Havoc with 54 points (16g, 38a)
• Dominick Procopio (+27) and Derek Perl (+24) are second and third in the league in +/- rating
• Huntsville is 5-0-0 against Macon
