Mayhem Prolong Marksmen's Curse in Macon
March 1, 2019 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Mayhem News Release
Hosting the Fayetteville Marksmen on Princess Night, the Mayhem held on through a back-and-forth tilt and skated to a 4-3 regulation victory, defeating the Marksmen for the ninth time in as many games played at the Macon Centreplex.
Just 29 seconds into the contest, John Siemer was checked hard into the half boards by Cory Melkert. Siemer's fellow Northern Michigan product Zach Urban retaliated and dropped the gloves with Melkert, rapidly throwing fisticuffs before they hauled each other down.
The Mayhem generated the majority of scoring chances early, but Fayetteville goaltender Dillon Kelley held his ground. With only 32 seconds remaining in the first period, the Marksmen took advantage of a risky Macon pinch. Former Mayhem forward Darren McCormick raced down the right wing on a 2-on-1 and ripped a shot inside the left post, beating Tanner Creel over his blocker. The goal tied McCormick with Jake Trask and Ryan Salkeld for the SPHL-lead in goals with 20 on the campaign, and gave the Marksmen a 1-0 lead.
A wild second period was on hand almost immediately, as the Mayhem struck twice within a 61 second span. Josh Koepplinger buried his second goal in as many professional games after receiving a cross-crease pass by Trask on a 2-on-1. Two shifts later, Derek Sutliffe gave the Mayhem their first lead of the night. Jimmy Soper had cut off a Fayetteville clearing attempt and tallied an assist in his first game back after missing 14 straight with an upper-body injury.
Fayetteville Captain Jake Hauswirth responded with a 5-on-3 power play goal on a one-timer from just 28 seconds after Sutliffe's strike. Zach Urban scored his first goal of the season 14:36 into the second period with a slap shot from above the right circle on a Macon power play, but the Marksmen re-tied the game on the ensuing shift again. Taylor McCloy gave a pass to Hauswirth on a 2-on-1 rush, who ripped the puck past Creel to level the score 3-3 heading into the second intermission.
11:16 into the closing stanza, the Mayhem took an offensive zone faceoff in the right circle on a power play. Dakota Klecha sent the puck to an open Koepplinger, who hammered a one-timer which beat Kelley and gave the Mayhem's newest player his third goal in two games. Fayetteville could not mount a comeback, and the Mayhem held on for a 4-3 victory.
Creel earned his first win with the Mayhem and eighth of the season, turning aside 37 of Fayetteville's 40 shots. Kelley was handed his 11th defeat on the campaign, stopping 32 of 36. The Mayhem will close out the series tomorrow night at the Macon Centreplex at 7:35 pm EST.
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