(PENSACOLA, Fla.) – Caleb Huffman scored twice and the Mayhem had an early 2-0 lead in the shootout, but ultimately fell 3-2 to the Ice Flyers in another shootout loss in Florida.
The game got off to a rocky start, with Andrew Poulias finding space alone in front of Mayhem goaltender Sebastian Resar, and deflecting a shot from Tim Faulkner to take a 1-0 lead just over five minutes in. Ice Flyers goaltender Billy Girard IV stopped Matteo Ybarra on a breakaway to keep Pensacola in front, but then two consecutive penalties put the Mayhem on a long power play. After a face-off win by Connor May, Parker Allison and Caleb Huffman connected on a one-timer that gave Caleb Huffman his first SPHL goal, and tied the game before the start of the second period.
Macon successfully killed two penalties in the second period to keep the game tied, and it looked like the Mayhem and Ice Flyers were going to enter the third deadlocked when a turnover resulted in a two-on-one for Pensacola. Shane Bull set up Sam Rhodes for another goal that Resar had no chance to stop, and Pensacola took a 2-1 lead into the final period. Macon was outshot 26-19 through the first two periods.
Huffman scored his second goal of the game early on in the third, and the Mayhem built up momentum down the stretch. Sebastian Resar was spectacular in the third, and despite a late penalty, the Mayhem forced overtime and would begin the extra period shorthanded.
The Mayhem killed the penalty in overtime, but didn’t have much possession time or scoring chances and the Mayhem headed to a third shootout against the Ice Flyers in Pensacola this season.
Conor Witherspoon and Michael Herrera scored on their attempts to go up 2-0 in the shootout, and the Mayhem could have put a chokehold on the game with a goal in the third, but Pensacola stormed back, scoring on four straight attempts in the shootout to take the win.
The Mayhem return home for Macon Music Night against Roanoke on Friday, January 23 at 7:00 PM ET. Guarantee your seat by purchasing tickets at maconmayhem.com.
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