Macon Mayhem headed to SPHL finals

The Macon Mayhem are just one short step from bringing a professional sports championship to Macon.

The Mayhem rallied from an early two-goal deficit and Ben Robillard scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period as Macon held off Pensacola for a 3-2 win Friday at the Macon Coliseum to sweep the best-of-three series.

The Mayhem now move on to the SPHL President’s Cup Finals against either Peoria or Huntsville.

Six who mattered

Robillard: The wild back and forth scoring from the opening period when each team scored twice was muted by a defensive second period on both sides, but Robillard slapped in a rebound from the right faceoff circle that Ice Flyers goalie Matt Zenzola was not able to get back on his feet and stop.

Dennis Sicard: In the big picture, Sicard’s score may have been the most critical. The Mayhem fell behind by two goals within eight minutes, and the energetic crowd was on the verge of being a non-factor. That changed when Sicard pounced on a loose puck from the left side for Macon’s first goal of the game 10:33 into the first period via the power play.

Stephen Pierog: He notched the equalizer for the second straight game. Following his game-tying goal in the first game, his score by way of assist from Matt Summers and Ryan Michel tied things on Friday.

Jordan Ruby: The flurry of goals by the Ice Flyers in the first period turned out to be an aberration. The Macon goalie had an answer for each scoring chance the Pensacola tried to muster, knocking away each try. Even as the stakes got even higher later in the game and with multiple skirmishes among players in front of the net, Ruby finished the night with 39 saves for his fourth postseason win in a row.

Ken Neil: Pensacola got on the board first thanks to Neil. He got enough separation along the left side to punch the puck past Ruby 5:13 into the game on the power play goal.

John Cousineau: His shot clanged off the pipes and past Ruby to give Pensacola two goals in less than three minutes.

Turning point

After a few scoring chances on each end to begin the game, Pensacola had the game’s early momentum, leading 2-0 before the game was eight minutes old. But the Mayhem, as they have during the highs and lows of the season, didn’t panic. And that approach paid off 10:33 into the game on the goal by Sicard that got the Mayhem back in it and got the home crowd re-energized.

Observations

In control: In one sense, the best way to put a game away in the third period and protect a lead to put multiple goals on the board. Up 3-2 after two periods, the Mayhem managed the next best thing against a Pensacola team desperate to extend its season. An adjustment a few minutes into the third period countered the Ice Flyers’ efforts on the forecheck, and the ability for Pensacola to generate odd-man rushes was all but neutralized. By controlling the tempo, Macon was able to manage the flow of the third period and in turn run more time off the clock.

Long leash: The game was physical on both sides with several big hits and near-fights. But the game officials called a loose game, letting both teams settle the game on the ice instead of it being penalty-heavy. Both teams were penalized three times while serving six minutes.

They said it

Mayhem head coach Kevin Kerr on what advancing to the finals means for the franchise: “This means everything to our organization. I’m so proud of our organization, just for the way they battled. We set an expectation this year, and they are living up to every expectation.”

Kerr on Sicard’s goal: “That was a huge goal at that time. They had a little breakdown in the corner and (Sicard) gets in front and tips it in and got us rolling.”

Kerr on how the Mayhem controlled the game’s tempo in the third period: “We switched up a couple of things and made some adjustments in the neutral zone in the third period. We kind of switched it up a little bit in the neutral zone and kind of forced more things to the outside. Obviously, guys were blocking shots in the end. They knew what was at stake, they were warriors.”

Sicard on how his goal impacted the Mayhem’s bench: “When you go down two goals, it’s tough. That goal really energized the guys.”

Ruby on advancing to the finals: “It means a lot. If you would have told us at the beginning of the year we were going to the finals, we would have hoped for it. But you just never know what can happen in the season. Sometimes, the best teams don’t make it, that’s just the reality. As the season went on and as it progressed, we started building momentum and getting hot, and we started clicking and were a first place team and during the playoffs we have kind of kept that momentum.”

Ruby on Pensacola’s intensity in the final period: “They were coming, their season was on the line. We had it in Columbus. We were up 5-1 going into the third period and their season was on the line, we knew they were going to throw everything at us, and they did. Pensacola had everything on the line, and they brought a lot of pressure. Our defense helped me out clearing some pucks. It was a good game and good third, and I think we finished how we ought to finish as a championship team.”

What’s next?

Macon advances to the SPHL Presidents Cup Finals against either Peoria or Huntsville, and those teams are headed to a decisive third game in their series.

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 12:02 AM with the headline "Macon Mayhem headed to SPHL finals."