Defiel Backstops Mayhem to Shutout against Former Squad
Published on October 27, 2018 under SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Mayhem News Release
Closing out their four-game home stand to start the season, the Mayhem shut out the Pensacola Ice Flyers 3-0 and claimed the first place spot in the SPHL.
A far more defensively responsible period was on hand to kick off Saturday night's tilt than Friday's, as neither team managed to land on the score sheet through the opening 20 minutes of play.
Though the start to the game may not have been as exhilarating as it was on Friday night, the Mayhem corrected a number of critical mistakes from their previous game. Their penalty kill was more alert and fought off both power plays it faced in the first period, and the breakouts were more smooth and crisp. Jarret Kup was presented with a keen opportunity to score with an opening in the slot, but his shot was turned aside by the left pad of Brian Billett. Gordon Defiel stopped all nine shots the Flyers sent his way in the initial frame.
Defiel, playing against his former team, continued his strong performance in goal as the night went on. He remained perfect in the middle stanza, when the Mayhem pulled away with the lead.
At 28:32, Pensacola's Oskar Freimanis was given a penalty for interference. Nick Minerva and Caleb Cameron connected on a crisp passing play on the ensuing power play before Cameron slapped Jake Trask a circle-to-circle feed. The veteran Mayhem forward rifled a shot past Billett to open the scoring and give the Mayhem their first power play goal of the season.
Five minutes and twenty seconds later, Kristaps Bazevics, making his Mayhem debut, ripped a shot from the left point following an offensive zone faceoff win on a 4-on-4. The puck ricocheted off the inside of the crossbar and past Billett to give the Mayhem an insurance lead. The Latvian defenseman who had been signed earlier that morning made his presence felt in Macon almost immediately and gave the Mayhem some breathing room. At 38:23, John Siemer got into a fight with Daniel Perigo, which lasted a long while before Siemer was knocked off-balance after he'd thrown a flurry of punches at Perigo's jaw.
Midway through the third period, Derek Sutliffe fired a shot along the ice and off the inside of the left post on a Mayhem power play. The goal light briefly turned on, but the play was reviewed and it was determined that the puck did not cross the goal line.
Having had a goal disallowed Friday night and a close call going against him on Saturday, Sutliffe felt a need for redemption. With help from Trask on an odd-man rush, Sutliffe was finally able to convert. Trask fed a pass through the crease and onto the tape of Sutliffe, who tapped the puck into an open net and get the monkey off his back.
With a three-goal advantage, the Mayhem turned their focus towards protecting Defiel's shutout. In an aggressive decision, Pensacola's head coach Rod Aldoff pulled Billett for an extra attacker and gave Defiel all he could handle with an onslaught of shots on goal in the closing seconds. The former Ice Flyer held his ground, and backstopped the Mayhem to their first shutout of the campaign.
Defiel turned aside 23 shots en route to a First Star of the Game performance and his second victory of the season. Billett was charged with his first regulation defeat, stopping 25 of 28. The Mayhem will return to action next Friday night at the Fayetteville Crown Coliseum. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm ET against the Marksmen.
SPHL Stories from October 27, 2018
- Defiel Backstops Mayhem to Shutout against Former Squad - Macon Mayhem
- Ice Flyers Shutout 0-3 by the Mayhem - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Game Preview - Macon Mayhem
- Havoc Win Defensive Battle over Flyers - Huntsville Havoc
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