MOLINE, IL – The Macon Mayhem would be looking for redemption in their final regular season matchup with the Quad City Storm this season. They would not get it in a waspish game.
Quad City would pick up right where they left off the night prior as Golka would slot home a rebound early. Later in the period, Samuel Best would make a pair of solid stops, but the Mayhem would be unable to clear the rebound from the crease as the Storm jammed it home. Mattson would get loose soon thereafter and score to make it 3-0 for the hosts. Late in the period, Jake Fuss would force a defensive zone turnover with a good forecheck, but Moran would make a terrific save to deny Derek Mecrones. Sacha Roy would then apply a big hit that Michael Moran would take exception to. They would each be assessed five-minute majors for fighting with Moran’s night coming to a close after throwing his helmet at Roy. For Sacha Roy, his five-minute major for fighting would set a new franchise record for PIM in a season, surpassing the 202 mark set by Dennis Sicard in the 2016-17 season.
The Macon Mayhem would come out for the second period with some ferocity. Alex Laplante would weave through some traffic in the right circle before snapping home his 25th goal of the year. Then Macon would get loose on the breakaway, Tanner Nagel would find Brett Mecrones with a cross-crease pass; Mecrones would slot home the goal, resembling something straight out of a video game. Macon would continue to threaten but would have some of the wind taken out of their sails by being put on a 3-on-5 penalty kill. Quad City’s Mattson would subsequently score. Best would make a flurry of saves around the 12:00 minute mark, but the Storm would soon score again, inciting a brief scrum. Tensions would continue to boil over in the final minute of the frame as the Mayhem trailed 5-2.
As a result of that tension, Macon would open the third on a powerplay. Brett Mecrones would crash the crease to hammer home a Kolby Johnson shot to pull the Mayhem back to within two. Shortly thereafter, Macon would put the puck in their own net to restore the 3-goal deficit. More antics would flare up about six and a half minutes into the period. Best would make a sprawling save to deny Mattson on the breakaway. Later in the game, Mattson would indeed score to cap off his hat trick to seal a 7-3 win. As the final horn sounded, chaos would ensue.
The Mayhem will be back on home ice next weekend for a matchup with the Evansville Thunderbolts on Cherry Blossom Night and Muscogee Nation Night respectively. Fans are encouraged to help “Pink Out” the rink on Friday. For tickets or more information, visit maconmayhem.com or call us at 478-803-1592.
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