Contact: awest@thesphl.com
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (December 1, 2022) – The Southern Professional Hockey League continues its 19th season tonight with four days of games. You can follow all the action this season at www.sphltv.com
Birmingham Bulls (8-4-0)
• Michael Gillespie is second in points with 22 as he sits tied for first with 10 goals and ranks tied second in assists with 12
• Gillespie was named both the SPHL Player of the Week and Month for his stellar play
• Carson Rose ranks first in the league with 86 shots
• Birmingham is 5-0-0 this season when scoring first
• The Bulls have yet to play Macon or Pensacola this season
NEXT UP: Birmingham will host Macon on Friday before traveling to Pensacola on Saturday (Puck drop 7:00 p.m. CT Friday | 7:05 p.m. CT SAT)
Evansville Thunderbolts (9-4-2)
• Zane Steeves ranks first in victories with seven while posting a 2.32 goals against average, good for sixth-best amongst netminders
• The Thunderbolts sit atop the SPHL with 20 points in 15 games
• Thunderbolts are 6-1-0 when scoring first
• Mike Ferraro is currently on a seven-game scoring streak, recording 11 points over that span
• Evansville is 1-1-0 against Quad City, and 2-0-0 against Vermilion County
NEXT UP: Evansville will take on Quad City on Friday and Saturday before finishing on the road at with Vermillion County on Sunday (Puck drop 7:00 p.m. CT FRI/SAT | 4:00 p.m. CT SUN)
Fayetteville Marksmen (6-7-1)
• Defenseman Carson Vance ranks tied for first in plus/minus with a +9 rating.
• Andrew Lane leads the Marksmen with 12 points (4g, 8a, ppg, gwg)
• Winger Taylor McCloy is second in the SPHL with three game-winning goals
• Fayetteville is 3-2-0 against Macon, and 0-1-0 against Knoxville
NEXT UP: Fayetteville welcomes to the Crown Center on Friday and Saturday before hosting Knoxville on Sunday (Puck drop 7:15 p.m. ET FRI | 6:00 p.m. ET SAT | 3:00 p.m. ET SUN)
Huntsville Havoc (7-5-0)
• Goalie Nick Latinovich ranks fourth in both goals against average (2.13) and save percentage (0.937)
• Center Kyle Clarke currently has a goal in three straight road games dating back to the October 20th season opener
• Huntsville is 3-1-0 against Pensacola
NEXT UP: Huntsville will travel to Pensacola on Friday for their only game this week (Puck drop | 7:05 p.m. CT FRI)
Knoxville Ice Bears (8-3-2)
• Center Justin MacDonald ranks first in the SPHL with 24 points (8g, 16a)
• MacDonald’s 16 assists are also tied for the league-best
• Brady Fleurent had two goals and three assists last week, moving him to fourth in the league with 20 points (10g, 10a)
• Knoxville is 0-1-0 against Roanoke and has yet to play Pensacola
NEXT UP: Knoxville travels to Roanoke on Thursday and will visit Fayetteville on Sunday (Puck drop 7:05 p.m. ET THU | 3:00 p.m. ET SUN)
Macon Mayhem (2-8-2)
• Defenseman Rourke Russell ranks tied for first amongst defensemen with five power-play assists and is tied for fourth amongst blueliners with eight points (1g, 7a)
• CJ Hayes leads the Mayhem with five goals, two of those coming on the power-play and one being a game-winner
• The Mayhem have not yet played Birmingham this season
NEXT UP: Macon travels to Birmingham on Friday for their only game this week (Puck drop 7:00 p.m. CT FRI)
Pensacola Ice Flyers (7-7-0)
• Winger Garrett Milan is third in the league with 21 points (5g, 16a)
• Kolten Olynek ranks third among rookies with 10 points (6g, 4a). His six goals are second among all first-year players
• Ice Flyers have the league-leading home power play, converting 11 of 27 chances (40.7%) while also having the top overall power play with 15 goals in 52 chances (28.8%)
• Pensacola is 1-3-0 against Huntsville and has not yet played Birmingham
NEXT UP: Pensacola hosts Huntsville on Friday, before welcoming Birmingham on Saturday (Puck drop 7:05 p.m. CT FRI | 7:05 p.m. CT SAT)
Peoria Rivermen (8-3-1)
• Alec Baer ranks tied for seventh with 15 points (5g, 10a)
• Goaltender Ben Churchfield is the only netminder to have four or more wins and be unbeaten (4-0-0) while also posting a league-best 1.69 gaa, which is the best in the league
• Peoria has not played Vermilion County yet this season
NEXT UP: Peoria will have a home and home with Vermilion County, playing at home on Friday before traveling to face the Bobcats on Saturday (Puck drop 7:00 p.m. CT FRI | 7:10 p.m. CT SAT)
Quad City Storm (8-5-0)
• Michael Moran ranks tied for fifth in the league in goals with seven
• The Storm are 6-2 this season when scoring first
• Has the third-best power-play record with a 25.5% conversion rate (12 of 47)
• Quad City is 1-1-0 against Evansville
NEXT UP: Quad City travels to Evansville on Friday and Saturday (Puck drop 7:00 p.m. CT FRI | 7:00 p.m. CT SAT)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (6-4-1)
• Winger Mac Jensen leads the Dawgs with 13 points (3g, 10a)
• Rookie Travis Broughman is first amongst rookies with 58 shots on goal
• Roanoke is 1-0-1 against Knoxville and 2-2-1 against Fayetteville
NEXT UP: Roanoke hosts Knoxville at home on Thursday and travels to Fayetteville for Friday and Saturday (Puck drop 7:05 p.m. ET THU | 7:15 p.m. ET FRI | 6:00 p.m. ET SAT)
Vermilion County Bobcats (2-10-1)
• Davis Kirkendall leads the team in assists with eight while also being the lone player with double-digit points (10)
• Vadim Vasjonkin has scored in three consecutive games dating back to November 25th
• Vermilion County will face Peoria for the first time this season
NEXT UP: Vermilion County travels to Peoria on Friday and will host the Rivermen on Saturday before welcoming Evansville to town on Sunday (Puck drop 7:15 p.m. CT FRI | 7:00 p.m. CT SAT | 4:00 p.m. CT SUN)
