(HUNTSVILLE, Ala.) – Four unanswered third period goals from the Havoc downed the Mayhem in Alabama, 4-2.
The determination right from the drop of the puck was evident for the Mayhem. They came out blasting away, forcing four of the first six shots on net. A penalty infraction by Kadin Ilott for tripping at 7:43 would give the south Georgia boys a chance on the man advantage. Despite two good looks to capitalize, the power play unit was once again stone walled.
Just moments later following a pad save by goaltender Josh Boyko, Nikola Murgic and Khaden Henry played catch in the defensive zone. Murgic finally found a lane to stretch a pass out to Michael Krupinski down the left-wing boards. He would coast through neutral zone before forcing a deep drive at the net from just over center ice. Alex Proctor had a tough time freezing the puck, and Bohdan Zinchenko net front threw the loose change up and in glove hand side for a 1-0 lead at 11:35 of the period.
Both Brandon Stojcevski (hooking) and Cory Liu (delay of game) would take turns in the bad boy box and give the Havoc chances late in the first frame to run their power play. Huntsville would come up empty handed though, and head to the dressing room trailing by a goal and narrowly in the shots category at 12-11.
Despite giving up a number of grade A looks to the Havoc early on in the 2nd period, the defense and Josh Boyko were able to stand pat. The biggest wow factor of the night on the Mayhem side came at the 13:40 mark of the frame. With Michael Abgrall in the box for a high-sticking minor, one of four Havoc penalties in the period, Mason Hoehn netted his second goal of the year and first Macon power play goal since October 17th.
Murgic held the puck out in the high slot and faked looks back and forth before finally choosing to slide it to Stojcevski in the right-wing circle. Stojcevski would fake a one-timer before ladling it to Hoehn in the bottom of the left-wing circle. Hoehn wasted no time sending home a top shelf wrister to double the advantage to 2-0 Macon. The score would hold heading off after 2 periods despite the shots favoring Huntsville 32-25.
The best efforts and a multi-goal lead for the Mayhem after 40 minutes was not enough as the Havoc would net four unanswered in the 3rd period. It started on the power play at 3:24. A faceoff win by Michael Abgrall and a few sound passes around the perimeter after the fact set Marc Pasemko up in the hash marks on the right side all alone as he took a high clapper opportunity that did not miss cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Abgrall was a driving factor in the tying goal at the 10:50 mark as well despite not finding his name on the scoresheet. He carried the puck into the zone and was crushed down on the right-wing boards. It squirted loose and found Troy Williams behind the net. Williams crunched the puck out to Ben Schultheis just inside the zone, and Schultheis thrust one on net that was redirected by Passemko to tie the score 2-2.
Things just kept unraveling further for the Mayhem when they allowed Giovanni Procopio to find some open ice. Procopio sped his way into the neutral zone, gave the puck off in his blind spot to Terry Ryder who split the Macon defense and tried a shot on his back hand. Jack Jaunich battled his way to the net front and poked home the rebound past Boyko to give Huntsville the lead 3-2 with 4:07 to go.
Coach Pszenyczny was able to get Boyko off to the box with under a minute remaining to look for the tying goal, but it just forced the way for an empty net goal by Giovanni Procopio to stab the dagger in with :15 remaining and ensure the 4-2 Havoc win.
Josh Boyko stopped 42 of 45 shots in the loss for the Mayhem. Alex Proctor took the win for the Havoc denying 43 of 45 shots.
The long seven game road trip that takes Macon through four different cities will continue this Thursday, November 12th, at Pelham Civic Complex against the Birmingham Bulls at 8pm ET. The Mayhem will finally return home to the Macon Coliseum on Friday, November 20th to take on the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at 7pm.
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