HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Havoc score two in the third for the third straight night but cannot overcome a late Ice Bears goal and fall 4-3 on Thanksgiving at the Von Braun Center.
Knoxville kicked off the scoring in the first with their first of three coming nine minutes into the opening frame. Five and a half minutes later the Ice Bears took the two-goal lead with Jake Rivera’s first of three on the night. The left winger would score his second of the frame in the final minute of the period.
In the second, the Havoc came back adding more shots on net. Eight minutes into the middle frame, Knoxville starting goaltender Brian Billet went down after stopping a shot and had to leave the game leaving Dylan Wells to enter the game and face the Havoc onslaught of shots.
With a new goaltender, Michael Piluso walked in on the right wing side and fired a shot home for Huntsville’s first goal of the night and get within two.
The two teams came back out for third period action with more momentum swinging to the Havoc end while registering 20 shots in the period. Huntsville recorded three odd man rushes in the final frame of regulation were finally rewarded for their hard work with a goal off the stick of Stuart Stefan four and a half minutes into the third. The shot rattled off the post and the body of Knoxville goaltender and dribbled over the goal line to light the lamp.
With the game in reach late in the third, Huntsville recorded another offensive face-off draw win. Zach Carriveau sitting at the point was fed a one timer by Nolan Kaiser and sent it firing into the back of the net to tie the game at three.
But two minutes later, Rivera came back for Knoxville scoring his third of the night for the game winner as Knoxville escapes Huntsville’s comeback for the 4-3 win.
Honorable Mentions
Huntsville registered 20 shots in the third, their most on goal in a period this season and just four shy of the franchise record. The team finished the night with 50 pucks on net; the most this season in a game.
The two goal third period marked the third straight game Huntsville scored multiple goals in the final frame and fourth time overall this season.
Huntsville went one-for-one on the Eco Smoke Penalty Kill tonight and now have successfully killed off 13 of 14 over a stretch of last seven games. Tonight’s game marks the second time the Havoc have gone shorthanded less than twice in a game this year. The team remains the least penalized team at 102 penalty minutes this season.
Michael Piluso scored his fourth of the season and now has three goals in the middle frame. The Maple Ridge, B.C. native now has points in three straight including goals in two of last three.
Tyler French now has assists in two straight since coming back to the lineup.
Zach Carriveau’s goal in the third period puts him third amongst defenseman in the league in goals and points scored. The Hollis, ME native has tied his goal production output from each of the last two seasons.
Text provided by SPHL Huntsville Havoc media release
Photos provided by Christina.Wolff@ProHockeyNews.com
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