EVANSVILLE, IN – The Mayhem took to the Ford Center looking for revenge on Saturday night against the Evansville Thunderbolts after coming up short in the shootout Friday. The contest would enter overtime for the second straight night, but this time the Mayhem would triumph.
The game would get off to a raucous start thanks to the newly reacquired David Nippard. The fan favorite would set the tone early for Macon by dropping the gloves with Aiden Wagner. Macon’s Alex Laplante would keep his hot run of form going with another goal; this time he scored from the right faceoff circle after Alex Cohen won the faceoff draw. Tommy Munichiello would capitalize off an Evansville turnover by finding a streaking CJ Hayes who buried home the breakaway opportunity to double the Mayhem advantage. CJ Hayes would return the favor later in the period on the powerplay as he made an excellent cross-ice pass to set up Tommy Munichiello for a one-timer blast. Macon would then hold a 3-0 lead into the break.
Sacha Roy would step up in defense of a fellow Mayhem teammate early in the second, dropping the gloves with Lincoln Hatten. Unfortunately for Macon, Roy would be assessed an additional minor in the fray, and Gendunov would convert on the ensuing Evansville powerplay for the period’s lone tally.
Bair Gendunov would continue his hot streak for Evansville as he opened the scoring in the final frame. Macon’s Jimmy Poreda would be outstanding during the contest, but Evansville would find a chip in his armor as Matt Dorsey netted the equalizer. Macon and Poreda would batten down the hatches down the stretch and kill off another penalty to force overtime and grab another point in the standings.
In the three-on-three overtime format, Macon’s creativity would be on full display. After some heroics from Poreda who stopped 40/43 shots he faced, Macon would be off to the races. Tommy Munichiello would slice through the Thunderbolts defense and set up his teammate for Munichiello’s third point of the night. With a blasted shot and fist pump, Adam Eby would launch his first goal of the year to grab an overtime win and all two points for the Macon Mayhem.
Macon will continue a 27-day road trip next Friday against Birmingham. The Mayhem will finally head back to the Macon Coliseum on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for a tilt with the Ice Bears on Scooby Doo Night. Then Sunday November 26th, the Mayhem welcome in the Pensacola Ice Flyers for a Sunday matinee. For tickets or more information, visit maconmayhem.com or call us at 478-803-1592.
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