HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA – The Havoc score three in the first to hold on for the 5-2 win over the Knoxville Ice Bears during the team’s home opener.
“We want to make this place the toughest place to play in,” said head coach Glenn Detulleo. “Our crowd is unbelievable as it was tonight and with energy like that the players can feel it and feed off it.”
In front of 3,900+ fans at the Von Braun Center on Pharmacy First Ice, Huntsville registered their tenth straight home opener win and twelfth overall in team history when Zach Carriveau shot a blast from the point just two minutes into the game for the early 1-0 lead.
Later on in the first, the Havoc registered their second goal of the frame when Jordan Wood received a pass from Sy Nutkevitch and Dylan Nowakowski. The team added one final goal in the opening frame with a shot off the stick of John Lidgett.
The three goal first period marked the second time this year the Havoc have scored three or more in a game.
“One of our best periods on the year,” said coach Detulleo. “The guys bounced back and came with energy while setting the tone early on.”
In the second, Huntsville kept the foot on the peddle when Dylan Nowakowski on a turn-around shot in the face-off circle scored just over the glove of Knoxville goaltender Dylan Wells. Wells replaced starter Michael Doan after giving up three on 10 shots. The replacement marked the third time in first four games, Huntsville chased the starter out of the net.
During the final frame of the game, the Havoc recorded their fifth unanswered goal with a shot off the stick of Michael Piluso with assists coming to Jeff Jones and Rob Simpson. But, five minutes later the Ice Bears broke Adam Courchaine’s shutout bid with four-on-four goal at 16:51 of the final frame. Minutes later Knoxville scored their second of the game, this time on a four-on-three opportunity.
But the comeback was little too late as the horn sounded and the Havoc picked up their third win on the year and give the Ice Bears their first loss on the year.
“It’s huge to come back after a loss on the road and play less than 24 hours later and respond like that,” said Detulleo. “It show the character in the locker room and sends a message that when playing our game we are tough to beat.”
Notable Moments: The Havoc are a perfect 9-0 all-time in the month of October and have now won ten straight home openers.
Huntsville has won four of last five against Knoxville at the Von Braun Center dating back to November 10th, 2015.
Dylan Nowakowski now has points in three of the first four on the year including two straight multi-point games.
Zach Carriveau leads SPHL defenseman in points with two goals and three assists for five points in four games.
Jordan Wood registered a goal and an assist in tonight’s action and now has three straight multi-point games.
Text provided by SPHL Huntsville Havoc Media Release
Photographs provided by Christina.Wolff@ProHockeyNews.com
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