(PELHAM, Ala.) – The Mayhem overcame a 2-0 first period deficit to take down the Birmingham Bulls in a shootout for their first win of the season, by a 4-3 final score.
The Bulls opened the scoring very quickly with a goal similar to the one Matteo Ybarra scored last weekend, as Connor Scahill banked a shot off of the back of Bailey Brkin to go up 1-0. Then, Shane Murphy perfectly redirected a puck beyond Bailey Brkin to go up 2-0 at the 9:20 mark of the first. Then, the power play got to work for the Mayhem, as Jake Goldowski tipped a shot from Domenic Della Civita just after a power play concluded to cut the Birmingham lead to one. Just under three minutes later, Justin Kelley finished off a scrum in front of the Birmingham net to draw the game back to even on another power play.
In a tighter but calmer second period, the Mayhem surrendered a power play goal after an Alex Cohen roughing double-minor, scored by Doug Scott. Bailey Brkin continued to look strong, and the Mayhem pushed, but trailed by one going into the third.
Conor Witherspoon evened the game again for the Mayhem in the third, with a beautiful redirection from a Matteo Ybarra pass. Bailey Brkin stood on his head through the rest of regulation, as the Mayhem parked the bus and went to overtime for the second time in this young season.
In overtime, both teams had chances, but neither broke through, and both Birmingham and Macon went to the shootout for the second consecutive game.
Arkhip Ledziankou put the Bulls up 1-0 in the third round, but Jake Goldowski promptly tied the shootout with a sharp wrister on the very next shot. In the sixth round, Justin Thompson put home the winner as Brkin was saved by the post on Filimon Ledziankou’s equalizer attempt.
The Mayhem’s Opening Night at the Macon Coliseum is tomorrow, Saturday, October 25 at 6 pm. Guarantee your seat by purchasing tickets at maconmayhem.com
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