2023-24 SPHL Season Thread

[GindyDraws]

Knoxville should be ashamed of themselves. They finished below Macon.

 

[JMCx4]

Knoxville should be ashamed of themselves. They finished below Macon.

I heard the Ice Bears tanked to get a high draft pick ...... wait ...... WHAT?!

 

[JMCx4]

Congrats to the Huntsville Havoc, who swept the Fayetteville Marksmen in their first round playoff series.

The other three SPHL President's Cup 1st round best-of-3 playoff series continue tonight. Coverage on FloHockey.tv.

 

[JMCx4]

... Meanwhile, I'm going with the #1 seed. The Bulls are overdue.
View attachment 847666

OK, never mind.

 

[JMCx4]

The remaining 3 first round series are completed on Saturday night. Moving on to Round 2 semifinals are Huntsville & Peoria & Roanoke & Evansville, with details to follow once the League website stops swirling.

 

[GindyDraws]

The remaining 3 first round series are completed on Saturday night. Moving on to Round 2 semifinals are Huntsville & Peoria & Roanoke & Evansville, with details to follow once the League website stops swirling.

Evansville actually making it to Round 2 is a surprise in and of itself, given how they knocked off #1 Birmingham.

So, you know the brass are throwing a major hissy fit.

 

[JMCx4]

From the resurrected SPHL website ...

SPHL announces President’s Cup second round
April 14, 2024

HUNTERSVILLE, NC (April 14, 2024) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) on Sunday announced the schedule for the second round, best-of-three series in the 2024 President’s Cup Playoffs:

#2 Peoria Rivermen vs. #8 Evansville Thunderbolts
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 17 @ Evansville – 7:00 pm PEO 7 - EVA 2
Game 2 – Friday, April 19 @ Peoria – 7:15 pm. PEO 5 - EVA 2
Game 3 – Sunday, April 21 @ Peoria – 3:15 pm (if necessary)

#3 Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs vs. #5 Huntsville Havoc
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 17 @ Huntsville (at Ice Sports Center) – 7:30 pm. HVL 5 - ROA 2
Game 2 – Friday, April 19 @ Roanoke – 7:05 pm. ROA 5 - HVL 4
Game 3 – Saturday, April 20 @ Roanoke – 7:05 pm (if necessary) HVL 3 - ROA 1

(All times local)

 

[JMCx4]

 

[JMCx4]

PEO Rivermen now sit in their Finals berth awaiting the winner of tonight's Havoc @ RYD game, after a comeback victory to sweep the upstart E'ville Thunderbolts on Friday night.

 

[JMCx4]

Huntsville defeats Roanoke 3-1 to clinch the other spot in the President's Cup Finals vs. Peoria. SPHL Round 2 game results have been updated in this post above. The Finals schedule will be released by the League when arranged between the competitors.

 

[JMCx4]

Mr. Eminian from the Peoria Journal Star reports a Thursday/Saturday/Sunday championship series schedule. I'll post the League's official schedule once it's released.

 

[JMCx4]

From: The SPHL > News

Peoria, Huntsville to meet in 2024 President’s Cup Finals
April 20, 2024

HUNTERSVILLE, NC (April 20, 2024) – In a rematch of the 2018 championship, the Peoria Rivermen and the Huntsville Havoc will meet in the best-of-three President’s Cup Finals beginning on Thursday.

Coming off a sweep of Evansville, the second-seeded Rivermen will making their record fifth appearance in the finals (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024) while seeking their second President’s Cup Championship (2022).

Fifth-seeded Huntsville ousted defending champion Roanoke in three games to advance to their record fifth finals appearance (2010, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2024). The Havoc will look to capture their fourth championship in franchise history (2010, 2018, 2019).

#2 Peoria Rivermen vs. #5 Huntsville Havoc
Game 1 – Thursday, April 25 @ Huntsville – 7:00 pm
Game 2 – Saturday, April 27 @ Peoria – 7:15 pm
Game 3 – Sunday, April 28 @ Peoria – 3:15 pm (if necessary)

(All times local)

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

From: The SPHL > News

HUNT/PEO Championship begins tonight

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Huntsville edges Peoria 3-2 in gm 1

 

[JMCx4]

Huntsville edges Peoria 3-2 in gm 1

Hu'ville made a 180-degree turn late in the third to catch then hang the first playoff loss on the Rivermen. It'll be up to PEO to shake this one off & not let emotions guide their play in Game 2. Easier said than done for a J-GT team.

 

[JMCx4]

President's Cup Championship Game 1 report from WAFF-TV48 ... Two goal third period give Havoc Game One victory in President's Cup Final

 

[I am Bettman]

The amount of penalties in that game was just ridiculous. It’s game one of the finals, and 20 minutes of it was spent on special teams.

 

[JMCx4]

The amount of penalties in that game was just ridiculous. It’s game one of the finals, and 20 minutes of it was spent on special teams.

All the more reason for stick taps on the surprise win for Hu'ville, as their power play efficiency this season has been somewhere south of Awful, Alabama.

 

[JMCx4]

Puck drop for Game #2 of the President's Cup Finals @ 7:15 PM CDT tonight in Peoria.

 

[JMCx4]

The Rivermen leverage their home ice advantage, and an Alec Hagaman hat trick, to force a Game 3 for the SPHL championship @ 5:15 PM CDT Sunday in Peoria.

 

[I am Bettman]

3-1 Peoria after 20.

 

[JMCx4]

Final score 5-1. Congrats to Jean-Guy Trudel & his Rivermen champions.