Contact: awest@thesphl.com
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (December 29, 2023) – The SPHL continues its 20th season with five games this evening. You can follow all the action this season at http://sphltv.com/
Fayetteville @ Knoxville (6:00 p.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. CST)
Fayetteville Marksmen (14-5-3, 31 pts, 2nd)
• Simon Boyko leads the SPHL with 92 shots
• Boyko leads all rookies with 23 points (12g, 11a)
• Boyko is third (tied) with 12 goals
• Boyko is fourth (tied) in the SPHL with 23 points (12g, 11a)
• Ryan Leith is second among rookies with a +9 rating
• Home opener record 4,711 fans packed the Crown Coliseum
• Fayetteville is 2-1-0 against Knoxville
Knoxville Ice Bears (8-12-0, 16 pts, 9th)
• Brady Fleurent leads the Ice Bears with 10 goals
• Dawson McKinney (2g, 10a) and Tyler Rollo (4g, 8a) rank eighth (tied) among rookies with 12 points
• Jordan Stallard is ninth (tied) with 18 points (7g, 11a)
• Knoxville is 1-2-0 against Fayetteville
Huntsville @ Roanoke (7:05 p.m. EST, 6:05 p.m. CST)
Huntsville Havoc (10-9-4, 24 pts, 6th)
• Brian Wilson is third among SPHL goaltenders with a 2.04 gaa and a .927 save percentage.
• Wilson also ranks fourth in the SPHL with 369 saves
• David Thomson is second (tied) with three game-winning goals
• Alex Kielczewski is second among defensemen with 18 points (3g, 15a) while his 15 assists are also second among blueliners.
• Huntsville is 2-0-0 against Roanoke
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (11-6-3, 25 pts, 5th)
• Nick Ford ranks eighth (tied) with 19 points (5g, 14a)
• Xavier Filion leads all rookies with three game-winning goals
• Austyn Roudebush is second in the SPHL in goals against average (1.86) and save percentage (.934)
• Brenden Pepe ranks third among defensemen with 14 points (5g, 9a)
• Hoisted their 2023 Presidents Cup banner in front of their home crowd for the first time in franchise history
• Roanoke is 0-1-1 against Huntsville
Pensacola @ Birmingham (8:05 p.m. EST, 7:05 p.m. CST)
Pensacola Ice Flyers (13-9-0, 26 pts, 4th)
• Zac Herrmann is second among defensemen with four goals and is fifth in points with 12 points (4g, 8a)
• Garrett Milan is fourth with 23 points (7g, 16a). Milan’s 16 assists are the third most in the league (tied)
• Brett Mercones is fifth (tied) with 22 points (15g, 7a) and his 15 goals are the second most in the SPHL
• Ivan Bondarenko’s 16 assists are the third most (tied) in the league
• Pensacola is 3-3-0 against Birmingham
Birmingham Bulls (15-4-3, 33 pts, 1st)
• Hayden Stewart was named SPHL Player of the Month after posting a 7-2-0 record, 1.43 gaa, and a .940 sv% which are all league-best
• Stewart leads the SPHL in GAA (1.41), sv% (.948), wins (12) and leads the league lead in shutouts (3).
• Nikita Kozyrev is second among all rookies with 22 points (7g, 15a). His 15 assists are the most among rookies
• MacGregor Sinclair ranks third (tied) among rookies with 11 assists
• Drake Glover ranks third (tied) in the SPHL with 24 points (16g, 8a). His 16 goals are tied for the most in the SPHL
• Birmingham is 3-3-0 against Pensacola
Evansville @ Quad City (8:10 p.m. EST, 7:10 p.m. CST)
Evansville Thunderbolts (8-11-2, 18 pts, 8th)
• Bair Gendunov is second in the SPHL with 25 points (10g, 15a)
• Matt Dorsey ranks sixth among rookies with 14 points (6g, 8a)
• Chays Ruddy ranks eighth (tied) among defensemen with nine points (4g, 5a)
• Evansville is 1-3-0 against Quad City
Quad City Storm (9-10-0, 18 pts, 7th)
• Matt Ustaski (16g, 12a) leads the SPHL with 28 points and his 16 goals are tied for the league lead
• Leif Mattson is third (tied) in the SPHL with 24 points (12g, 12a)
• Defenseman Dillion Fournier is fifth (tied) amongst all blue liners with 12 points (1g, 11a). His 11 assists are third 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 3-1-0 against Evansville
Macon @ Peoria (8:15 p.m. EST, 7:15 p.m. CST)
Macon Mayhem (4-12-4, 12 Pts, 10th)
• Josh Boyko leads the SPHL with 534 saves
• Alex LaPlante (7g, 7a) ranks sixth (tied) among rookies with 14 points
• Michael McChesney is third overall (tied) with four power-play goals, and leads all rookies
• McChesney also ranks fifth (tied) among rookies with 15 points (7g, 8a)
• Macon has not yet played Peoria
Peoria Rivermen (13-6-2, 28 pts, 3rd)
• Zach Wilkie leads all defensemen with 21 points (3g, 18a), his 18 assists are the most among blue liners
• Joseph Widmar is second in the league with 25 points (6g, 19a), his 19 lead the SPHL
• Mike Gelatt (6g, 7a) is seventh (tied) in points among rookies with 13
• Ryan Nolan is third (tied) among all rookies with eight 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 has not yet played Macon
