Contact: awest@thesphl.com
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (October 21, 2023) – The SPHL continues its 20th season with five games tonight. You can follow all the action this season at https://www.flohockey.tv/
Roanoke @ Fayetteville (6:00 p.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. CST)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (1-0-0)
• Hoisted their 2023 Presidents Cup banner in front of their home crowd for the first time in franchise history
• The Dawgs return their top three leading scorers from last season in Nick Ford (54p), Mac Jansen (49p), and CJ Stubbs (47p)
• Goalie Austyn Roudebush returns for his sixth season, fresh off his Presidents Cup MVP award.
• Stephen Alvo collected two points (1g, 1a) in their 4-0 win on opening night
• Roanoke is 1-0-0 against Fayetteville
Fayetteville Marksmen (0-1-0)
• Starting the season with nine rookies
• Kyle Soper is the highest returning scorer after his 29-point season (4g, 25a)
• Goaltender Michael Herringer returns after making four appearances in net last season, where he amassed a 1.33 GAA and a .955 sv%
• Fayetteville is 0-1-0 against Roanoke
Knoxville @ Macon (6:30 p.m. EST, 5:30 p.m. CST)
Knoxville Ice Bears (0-1-0)
• Finished with a 32-22-3 record last season, 6th seed in SPHL playoffs
• Brady Fleurent returns after finishing top five in shooting percentage last season (21.5%)
• Goaltender Zane Steeves comes to the Ice Bears after playing last season in Evansville where the netminder posted a 2.97 GAA and a .912 sv%
• Kristian Stead also returns after finishing top five in wins (20), minutes played (1,818.00), and saves (956)
• Knoxville is 0-1-0 against Macon
Macon Mayhem (1-0-0)
• Alex Cohen and Jake Goldowski each notched four-point nights as they both tallied two goals and two assists in the Mayhem’s 7-2 trouncing of Knoxville
• Tommy Munichiello returns after leading the Mayhem in points (40) in 2022-23
• Josh Boyko returns to the Mayhem alongside newcomer Jimmy Poreda as the tandem between the pipes
• CJ Hayes returns to Macon after collecting 28 points on 12 goals, and 16 assists in 27 games last season for the Mayhem
• Macon is 1-0-0 against Knoxville
Huntsville @ Evansville (8:00 p.m. EST, 7:00 p.m. CST)
Huntsville Havoc (1-0-0)
• Jamie Bucell picked up a goal and an assist as the Havoc narrowly edged out the Bulls 2-1 in the first battle of Alabama
• Dominick Procopio returns after posting the second highest +/- last season (+29)
• Tyler Piacentini makes the transition from the ice, to behind the bench, joining the Havoc as an assistant coach
• Defensemen Alex Kielczewski and Derek Perl return after being in the top 20 of scoring for blue-liners
• Huntsville was 4-4-0 against Evansville last season
Evansville Thunderbolts (0-0-0)
• Brandon Harrogate returns after posting a 42-point season (17g, 25a) last season for the Thunderbolts
• Goalies Hayden Lagvine and Sean Kuhn will be the tandem in net to start the season
• Evansville was 4-4-0 against Huntsville last season
Birmingham @ Pensacola (8:05 p.m. EST, 7:05 p.m. CST)
Birmingham Bulls (0-1-0)
• Jeff Solow tallied the only goal for the Bulls as teammates Carson Rose and Drake Glover picked up assists
• Michael Gillespie returns after being named to the SPHL first team last season after notching 60 points (27g, 33a)
• Carson Rose is back for his third season after collecting 30 points in 27 games last season (15g, 15a)
• The goaltending tandem of Austin Lotz and Hayden Stewart look to help lead the Bulls back to the Presidents Cup finals after falling to Roanoke last season
• Birmingham was 8-1-2 against Pensacola last season
Pensacola Ice Flyers (0-0-0)
• Winger Garrett Milan returns for another season in an Ice Flyers sweater, looking to repeat his 2022-23, where he finished second in points (69), third in assists (43), and fourth in goals (26)
• Ivan Bondarenko returns after his 55-point season (15g, 40a)
• Mitch Adkins returns, following his career-best point season in which the Center tallied 46 points (9g, 37a)
• Pensacola was 3-7-1 against Birmingham last season
Peoria @ Quad City (8:10 p.m. EST, 7:10 p.m. CST)
Peoria Rivermen (0-0-0)
• Alec Hagaman was set to be behind the bench this season as an assistant coach, but after a change of heart, will suit up for the Rivermen in his final season. He will look to guide the Rivermen to the playoffs yet again and build off his 62-point season in 2022-23 (24g, 38a)
• JM Piotrowski set career highs last season with 52 points and 32 assists. Also tallied 20 goals for the Rivermen
• 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
• First-teamer Zach Wilkie is back after posting a league-best +42 Plus-Minus last season
• Goaltender Nick Latinovich comes to the Rivermen after playing last season with the Huntsville Havoc and Macon Mayhem where he posted a combined 2.97 GAA, .914 sv%, and a 16-11-2 record.
• Peoria was 12-5-2 against Quad City last season
Quad City Storm (0-0-0)
• Winger Michael Moran returns after his 30-point season (18g, 12a)
• Cole Golka is back with the Storm after a career-high 31 points (16g, 15a)
• SPHL second-team goaltender Kevin Resop is back in the Quad Cities after his impressive 2022-23 campaign which saw him post a 2.69 GAA, and .916 sv% in 40 games
• Quad City was 7-12-0 against Peoria last season
