SPHL Mississippi RiverKings

Five-Goal Third Propels 'Kings to Victory

Published on March 6, 2012 under SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


Southaven, Miss. - Three RiverKings' goals in the first 1:22 of the third period started the comeback and two more in the final frame sealed the deal as the 'Kings knocked off the Huntsville Havoc 6-4 at the Landers Center on Tuesday night.

Led by Matt Whitehead's five-point effort, the win puts the RiverKings in sole possession of seventh place in the SPHL.

The RiverKings got the scoring started early in the game as Mark Magnowski picked up his own rebound in front of Havoc netminder Mark Sibbald and buried it past the Huntsville goalie to give the home team a 1-0 lead just 2:21 into the first period.

Huntsville answered back midway through the first. Ray Ortiz touched a pass from Glenn Detulleo and slipped it past Scott Darling to tie the game at one.

Six minutes later, Scott Duncan's shot bounced over the shoulder of the 'Kings netminder and Huntsville had a 2-1 lead. Sixteen seconds later, Huntsville struck again as Mike MacDonald snuck behind the RiverKings' defense and beat Darling to give Huntsville a two-goal lead. The Havoc then tallied the lone goal in the second period when Stuart Stefan beat Darling five-hole to put Huntsville up by three entering into the final twenty minutes of play.

The RiverKings wasted no time erasing the deficit. Matt Whitehead took a Kyle Lundale pass and made a nifty move to beat Sibbald from behind the goal line to cut the Havoc lead to two just 38 seconds into the third. Darrell Stoddard picked up his 15th goal of the season as he took a Whitehead drop-pass and blasted a one-timer to the back of the net and the 'Kings trailed by just one one minute into the third. The 'Kings tied it up 22 seconds later as Ken Selby and Tanner Hlookoff connected on a two-on-one as Hlookoff found the back of the net to tie it up at four.

Four minutes later, the RiverKings struck again. Stoddard picked up his second goal of the night with Whitehead and Matthew Russo assisting, chasing Mark Sibbald from the game. The point was Russo's first as a professional. Whitehead then added the insurance marker as he took a deflected Lundale shot and fired it through the legs of Beech and the RiverKings walked out of the Landers Center with a 6-4 win.

Scott Darling (13-16-1) picked up the win as he turned aside 21 of 25 shots against. Mark Sibbald took the loss stopping 24 of 29 shots against. Kevin Beech allowed one goal on one shot.

The RiverKings hit the road this weekend as they travel to Huntsville on Thursday (7:35), Columbus on Friday (6:30) and Louisiana on Saturday (7:05). All games will broadcast live on Radio Memphis and the America One television network. The 'Kings return to the Landers Center for their last home game of the season as they take on the Augusta Riverhawks at 7:05.

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