Preview: Mayhem at Peoria Rivermen (Game 32)
January 24, 2020 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Mayhem News Release
The Shutout Factor
Sunday afternoon, the Mayhem were shut out in a 2-0 defeat in Roanoke at the hands of the Rail Yard Dawgs. It was the team's third road game in as many nights, and fatigue certainly came into play for both sides. Aside from a pair of lapses in coverage in the defensive zone, the Mayhem pitched a sound defensive effort both nights at the Berglund Center. Shots on goal were again in favor of Macon in all three games last weekend, but they were not able to translate their shots into goals at the same rate their opponents did.
Sunday's outing marked the fourth time the Mayhem were shut out this season, all of which have come on the road. Two of them came in the building the Mayhem enter tonight, the Peoria Civic Center.
The Matchup
Ryan Michel will take on the top-ranked team in the SPHL for the first time as Head Coach. The Peoria Rivermen have been utterly dominant on home ice this season, boasting a record of 13-2-0. The Mayhem have not been able to defeat Jean-Guy Trudel and company since March of 2018.
This weekend, the Rivermen play games four and five of a five-game home stand, while the Mayhem play games four and five of a five-game road stretch. While Peoria has taken four of its last five tilts, they went to a shootout twice last week against the Pensacola Ice Flyers. They have done remarkably well in winning close games this season, which has played a substantial part in their first-place standing. Should Macon manage to secure some points this weekend, it would make an enormous statement for the team going forward.
Wolter to Debut
Colton Wolter is expected to make his Mayhem debut this evening wearing the #19. He is likely to center Macon's second or third line, which could potentially shift Caleb Cameron to the left wing, where he primarily played earlier in his career.
Wolter officially signed with the Mayhem on Tuesday of this week after being traded from the Rail Yard Dawgs in exchange for Marcus Ortiz. While Ortiz's abilities will certainly be missed, Wolter brings similarly capable goal-scoring prowess. He is having the best season of his career offensively, tallying 19 points (11G, 8A) in 29 games played for Roanoke. Tonight will be an arduous task for him, facing the top-ranked team in his Mayhem debut. However, playing such a strong opponent could help to acclimate him to the Macon lineup quickly.
College Night / First Responders Night / Pack the Plex
The Mayhem commence game three of a five-game road stretch tonight, but will return to the Macon Centreplex at the end of the month for a three-game weekend against three different opponents. Thursday, January 30th will be College Night; $10 tickets will be available to college students who show a college ID. Friday, the Mayhem will honor first responders in the Middle Georgia community, and Saturday will mark the team's first-ever $6 ticket night. All general admission seats on Pack the Plex Night are only $6, and can be purchased via the Mayhem website or at the box office. The team will also be wearing specialty Nickelodeon jerseys with a Double Dare focus on Saturday, which will be sold at a live auction in the Centreplex lobby following the game.
ABOUT THE MACON MAYHEM:
The Macon Mayhem is a proud member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The team won the 2016-2017 President's Cup Championship, bringing the city of Macon their first professional hockey championship ever and the city's first professional sports championship since 1962, and also won the William B. Coffey Trophy for the best record in the regular season record in 2016-2017. The team is owned by Bob and Diane Kerzner and managed by General Manager Blair Floyd.
SPHL Stories from January 24, 2020
- Missed Chances Cost Mayhem in Overtime Defeat - Macon Mayhem
- DeLaVergne Leads Havoc to Shutout of Roanoke - Huntsville Havoc
- Dawgs Shut out in Huntsville, 5-0 - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Levine, Rivermen Top Macon in Goaltending Duel, 2-1 - Peoria Rivermen
- Bulls Top Pensacola in Shoot Out - Birmingham Bulls
- Marksmen Score a Touchdown en route to Fifth-Straight Win - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Bolts Tally Three Power Play Goals in Loss to Marksmen - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Rivermen Defense Bolstered with Hamilton's Return - Peoria Rivermen
- Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawg (9-15-5) at Havoc (18-9-3) - 8:00 PM - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Preview: Mayhem at Peoria Rivermen (Game 32) - Macon Mayhem
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