The last week in the SPHL was filled with thrilling matchups and standout performances. The Peoria Rivermen ended their weekend with a series of victories over the Macon Mayhem, while the Huntsville Havoc continued their dominant run, securing wins against the Fayetteville Marksmen. Quad City Storm also impressed with back-to-back wins against the Pensacola Ice Flyers, including a shutout. As teams battle for position in the standings, the intensity on the ice is only heating up.
Current Standings
- Huntsville Havoc: 15-2-2-0, 32 PTS
- Peoria Rivermen: 12-3-2-0, 26 PTS
- Fayetteville Marksmen: 12-6-1-0, 25 PTS
- Birmingham Bulls: 9-4-2-1, 21 PTS
- Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs: 9-5-1-0, 19 PTS
- Knoxville Ice Bears: 9-8-1-0, 19 PTS
- Evansville Thunderbolts: 7-10-2-1, 17 PTS
- Quad City Storm: 7-10-1-1, 16 PTS
- Macon Mayhem: 6-11-1-0, 13 PTS
- Pensacola Ice Flyers: 4-14-1-0, 9 PTS
Results of Last Week’s Games:
Friday, December 13:
- Peoria 3, Macon 2: Peoria edged out Macon in a close game.
- Huntsville 6, Fayetteville 3: Huntsville continued their strong performance with a solid win over Fayetteville.
- Quad City 5, Pensacola 1: Quad City dominated Pensacola, securing a comfortable victory.
Saturday, December 14:
- Peoria 5, Macon 3: Peoria secured another win against Macon.
- Roanoke 4, Knoxville 3: Roanoke narrowly defeated Knoxville in a tight match.
- Huntsville 5, Fayetteville 2: Huntsville once again proved their dominance with a win over Fayetteville.
- Evansville 4, Birmingham 2: Evansville managed to overcome Birmingham in a competitive game.
- Quad City 5, Pensacola 0: Quad City shut out Pensacola, highlighting their defensive strength.
Sunday, December 15:
- Peoria 5, Macon 0: Peoria completed a clean sweep of their games against Macon with a decisive shutout victory.
Leaders
The SPHL has showcased some impressive performances so far this season, with Leif Mattson from the Quad City Storm leading the league with 28 points (13g, 15a). Close behind is Jack Jaunich of the Huntsville Havoc, who has accumulated 24 points (11g, 13a), tied with Nick Ford of the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, also at 24 points (6g, 18a). Weiland Parrish from the Quad City Storm follows closely with 23 points (5g, 18a), while Buster Larsson of the Huntsville Havoc completes the top five with 20 points (8g, 12a).
When it comes to goal-scoring, Carson Rose of the Birmingham Bulls tops the chart with 16 goals, closely followed by Leif Mattson with 13 goals. A group of players shares the next spot, each with 11 goals. In the assists category, Nick Ford and Weiland Parrish are tied for the lead, each recording 18 assists. Leif Mattson follows with 15 assists, while Zach Wilkie of the Peoria Rivermen has 14, and Jack Jaunich rounds out the list with 13 assists.
Among defensemen, Zach Wilkie tops the list with 16 points (2g, 14a). Close behind is Taylor Brierley from the Birmingham Bulls with 14 points (3g, 11a). Johnny Witzke of the Quad City Storm has 13 points (6g, 7a), sharing the spot with Chase Spencer of the Peoria Rivermen (4g, 9a) and Carson Vance of the Knoxville Ice Bears (3g, 10a).
Rookies are also making a significant impact, with Tyson Gilmour from the Evansville Thunderbolts leading the way with 16 points (8g, 8a). Following closely is Giovanni Procopio of the Huntsville Havoc, who has accumulated 14 points (7g, 7a). Gustav Muller of the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs has also made his mark with 13 points (8g, 5a). Meanwhile, Johnny Witzke and Matt Allen, both from the Huntsville Havoc, share the same total of 13 points, with Witzke contributing six goals and seven assists, while Allen has added four goals and nine assists.
Goaltending Leaders
Colby Muise (Peoria Rivermen): Colby Muise has been a standout for the Peoria Rivermen. Currently he holds an impressive Goals Against Average (GAA) of 1.72 and a Save Percentage (SV%) of 0.930, Muise has proven to be a formidable presence in the net. His stellar performance has earned him 11 wins, making him a key player in Peoria’s success.
Brian Wilson (Huntsville Havoc): Brian Wilson has been a reliable and consistent goaltender for the Huntsville Havoc. With a GAA of 1.98 and a SV% of 0.945, Wilson has secured six wins for his team. His impressive stats reflect his strong defensive skills and his ability to perform well in high-pressure situations. Wilson’s contributions have been vital to Huntsville’s defensive strategy, making him one of the top goaltenders in the league.
Dysen Skinner (Macon Mayhem): Dysen Skinner has been a crucial asset for the Macon Mayhem, showcasing his skills with a GAA of 1.88 and an outstanding SV% of 0.945. Despite having fewer wins, with a total of three, Skinner’s individual performance has been nothing short of exceptional.
Fines and Suspensions
Macon’s Matteo Ybarra: Matteo Ybarra was suspended for one game under Rule 28, Supplementary Discipline, due to his actions in Game 89, Peoria at Macon, played on Sunday, December 15. Ybarra received a match penalty under Rule 48.5 for an Illegal Check to the Head and a major penalty for fighting at 14:06 of the first period. As a result, Ybarra will miss Macon’s game at Fayetteville on Friday.
Transactions By Team
(Alphabetically Listed)
Birmingham Bulls: On December 14, 2024, the Birmingham Bulls activated Arkhip Ledziankou (LW) from IR.
Fayetteville Marksmen: The Fayetteville Marksmen placed Ryan Nolan (RW) on 14-day IR on December 13, 2024. They also signed Mike Wilson (RW) and Brendan Ronan (LW) to SPCs on the same day.
Knoxville Ice Bears: On December 9, 2024, the Knoxville Ice Bears released Phil Krawec (G) as EBG.
Macon Mayhem: The Macon Mayhem traded Dominic Dumas (C) to Quad City on December 9, 2024. They also suspended Kyle Heitzner (C) on December 12, 2024, and signed Jacob Schnapp (C) to an SPC on December 13, 2024.
Pensacola Ice Flyers: The Pensacola Ice Flyers were active with several transactions. On December 9, 2024, they traded for Doug Elgstam (LW) from Huntsville, loaned Cameron Cook (C) to ECHL Reading, waived Curtis Hansen (LW), and loaned Greg Smith (C) to ECHL Adirondack. On December 10, 2024, they traded for Matt Ustaski (C) from Quad City. On December 11, 2024, they traded for Alex Laplante (LW) from Quad City and waived Brendan Ronan (LW). On December 13, 2024, they activated Sean Gulka (LW) and Matt Wiesner (LW) from IR. On December 14, 2024, they activated Troy Button (D) from IR and waived Blake Tosto (RW).
Peoria Rivermen: The Peoria Rivermen placed Josh Martin (D) on 14-day IR on December 10, 2024, and activated Joseph Drapluk (C) from IR on December 13, 2024.
Quad City Storm: The Quad City Storm traded Alex Laplante (LW) to Pensacola on December 9, 2024, and traded for Dominic Dumas (C) from Macon on December 13, 2024. They also traded Matt Ustaski (C) to Pensacola on December 10, 2024, and Michael Greco (D) to Macon on December 9, 2024.
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs: The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs released Cameron Clark (LW) from PTO on December 9, 2024. They loaned CJ Valerian (D) to ECHL Reading on December 10, 2024, and waived Tobias Odjick (LW) on December 12, 2024. On December 13, 2024, they placed Stephen Alvo (D) on 14-day IR, activated Cory Doney (D) and Gustav Muller (LW) from IR, and suspended Austen Swankler (C). They also signed Austen Swankler (C) to an SPC on December 11, 2024.
What’s Ahead
Thursday, December 19
- Evansville at Peoria – 10:30 AM CST
- Knoxville at Birmingham – 7:05 PM CST
Friday, December 20
- Macon at Fayetteville – 7:00 PM EST
- Birmingham at Knoxville – 7:05 PM EST
- Pensacola at Huntsville – 7:00 PM CST
- Roanoke at Evansville – 7:05 PM CST
- Quad City at Peoria – 7:15 PM CST
Saturday, December 21
- Macon at Fayetteville – 6:00 PM EST
- Evansville at Knoxville – 7:05 PM EST
- Birmingham at Roanoke – 7:05 PM EST
- Huntsville at Pensacola – 7:05 PM CST
- Peoria at Quad City – 7:10 PM CST
What’s Next?
As the SPHL season progresses, the competition is only set to intensify. Teams like the Huntsville Havoc and Peoria Rivermen will aim to maintain their top positions, while others will be looking to climb the standings. Key matchups in the coming weeks, such as Huntsville facing off against Pensacola and Peoria taking on Quad City, will be crucial in shaping the league moving forward.
Players to watch include Leif Mattson, Jack Jaunich, and Carson Rose, who have been leading the league in scoring. Additionally, the performances of top goaltenders like Colby Muise and Brian Wilson will be pivotal for their teams’ success. Rookies such as Tyson Gilmour and Giovanni Procopio are also making significant impacts and will be key players to follow.
Stay tuned for updates on standings, player performances, and upcoming games as the SPHL continues to deliver exciting and competitive hockey.
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