Preview: Mayhem vs. Knoxville Ice Bears (Game 8)
November 10, 2018 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Mayhem News Release
Mayhem Win Third Straight with Another Third Period Rally
Yesterday's preview made note of the Mayhem's prevalence in third periods this season. Heading into last night's game, Macon had outscored their opponents 10-3 in the closing stanza. Trailing 2-1 in Knoxville yesterday, the Mayhem again cranked up the pressure and scored two unanswered to piece together a 3-2 road victory, despite having a number of difficulties throughout the night.
Jordan Ruby had another rock-solid game in net. He's now won three games in a row and boasts a tremendous .934 save percentage and a 2.21 goals against average, both of which rank fourth in the SPHL. He is the undisputed starter heading into tonight's game to close out the home-and-home against the Ice Bears.
The Matchup
Knoxville's power play has ripped the Mayhem apart this season. It's converted on a third of its opportunities, going 4-for-12 in two games played. However, one could argue a caveat to this situation is the fact that the Ice Bears have seemingly relied on their man-advantage as their only means to generate offense against Macon. In two matchups they've only scored once at even strength, suggesting that the Mayhem ought to be able to emerge triumphant if they can stay disciplined and clean up the penalty kill. While this sounds simple in theory, the Mayhem are the most heavily penalized team in the SPHL at the moment and have specifically struggled to stay out of the sin bin when playing Knoxville. How well they can do this may be the difference in the outcome of tonight's game.
Bear Hunter
Dakota Klecha has been an unstoppable force against the Ice Bears over the course of his career. This season in particular, he's matched up extremely well against them. Six of his nine points have come against the Ice Bears, and he's been the first star of both games. In the head-to-head series, he's tallied three goals, three assists, eight shots and a +6 rating. Last night he struck once in the second period, and then again with his team shorthanded to tie the game in the third. He's played at an incredible level against Knoxville, and will be a player the Mayhem depend on to help lead them to their seventh straight win.
Faith & Family Night / College Football Night
Tonight's game will be Faith & Family Night at the Macon Centreplex. Fans of all backgrounds and faiths are encouraged to enjoy a night of family-friendly fun. Houston Road Church will be having a pre-game concert in the lobby of the Centreplex. We encourage any and all congregations who are interested to set up a night of faith, family and fun with the Mayhem! Those still interested in purchasing group tickets can call the Mayhem office at (478) 803-1592. Next Saturday, the Mayhem will have a rematch against Knoxville on College Football Night, when fans will be encouraged to wear the jerseys of their favorite college football players and teams!
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SPHL Stories from November 10, 2018
- Pensacola Wins against Huntsville, Breaks Losing Streak - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Thunderbolts Gain Point in OT Loss to Roanoke - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Soper Leads Mayhem to Seventh Straight Win - Macon Mayhem
- Bulls Edge Quad City Again - Birmingham Bulls
- Dawgs Bury ThunderBolts in Overtime, 4-3 - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Preview: Mayhem vs. Knoxville Ice Bears (Game 8) - Macon Mayhem
- SPHL Announces Suspensions - SPHL
- Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawgs (2-3-0) vs ThunderBolts (2-6-0) - 7:05 PM - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Late Mistakes Ruin Marksmen's Perfect Start, Lose 6-5 in OT - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Havoc Win OT Thriller in Home Opener - Huntsville Havoc
- Rivermen Come Back to Drop Marksmen in OT Friday - Peoria Rivermen
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