Wreaking Havoc

Detulleo named Havoc coach

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:36:59 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Huntsville Havoc PR) – The Huntsville Havoc announced today that Glenn Detulleo has been hired as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations.

“Having the unique opportunity to observe Glenn’s coaching style the last five games of the regular season and through the first two rounds of the playoffs, provided us with all we needed to remove the “interim” tag from his title,” Havoc owner Keith Jeffries said.

Detuello retired as a player after the Havoc game on March 8, 2012. He took over behind the bench for the rest of the season on an interim basis. The Havoc went 2-2-1 in the final five regular season games. He then led the Havoc to a first round upset of top-seeded Augusta, before falling in the semi-finals to eventual champion, Columbus.

“I am extremely excited to be given the opportunity to start my coaching career with the Huntsville Havoc organization,” Detulleo said. “I am very appreciative that the organization trusts my ability to lead the Havoc on and off the ice. I look forward to building an exciting team that will play with a mix of skill and toughness this season.”

Detulleo played in 596 career regular season games that spanned nine seasons, including his final two in Huntsville. He scored 138 career goals and added 356 career assists. He also saw action in 43 career playoff games and scored five goals and added 25 assists.

He becomes the fourth head coach in Havoc history :

Randy Murphy 2009-2012
Eric Soltys 2008-2009
John Gibson 2004-2008

Havoc season ends in Columbus

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:31:38 -0500

COLUMBUS, GA - The Columbus Cottonmouths proved to be too tough for a semi-final upset as the swept the two game series with a 6-1 win Friday night over the Huntsville Havoc.

Greg Beller and John Sullivan both scored first period goals as the Cottonmouths took a 2-0 lead after one period of play.

Orrin Hergott scored just :47 into the second period to exted the lead to 3-0. Mike MacDonald would score the only goal of the series for the Havoc with 16:36 left in the second period. Sam Bowles and James Durham would both add goals later in the second and Columbus had a 5-1 lead heading into the final period of play.

Bellar added his second goal of the night in the third period to cap the scoring.

Ian Vigier made 20 saves in the win, while Mark Sibbald made 27 in the loss.

Havoc can't get past Columbus defense

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:41:40 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - The Huntsville Havoc were still high off their stunning series win over the #1 Augusta Riverhawks when they began the second round of the playoffs against the Columbus Cottonmouths.

The snakes have bedeviled the Havoc all year, beating the red & black six times in the regular season. Columbus just disposed of the Louisiana Ice Gators with no real problems and goalie Ian Vigier was named the SPHL's top netminder of the year a few days before the meeting.

Despite those odds, the Havoc felt good going into Wednesday night's game. That feeling didn't last.

The first period saw Columbus dominate play, firing off 8 unanswered shots. The Havoc finally responded, but were unable to get any real quality scoring chances. Late in the first, Sam Bowles fired off a sharp wrister from the left wing faceoff circle that flew by Havoc goalie Mark Sibbald, giving the Cottonmouths a 1-0 lead.

The Havoc tried to respond, but were frustrated time and again by the Columbus defense, which seemed to be everywhere at once. Any loose puck was quickly swept away, any Havoc player streaking into the zone was taken out before he could get a shot off.

In the second period, a hard shot from Andrew Krelove was denied by Sibbald, but dribbled between his legs. Mitch Wall found the puck and poked it through putting Columbus up by two.

The Havoc were never able to crack the tough Columbus defense, or Vigier and fell by a 5-0 score.

Game 2 will be in Columbus Friday night. If the Havoc prevail, game 3 will also be in Columbus on Saturday.

Havoc Prepare For Tough Challenge Against Columbus

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:05:25 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - Several big names will be hitting the links in Augusta this weekend. Tiger Woods. Phil Mickelson. Neil Graham. Jim Gehring. Matt Auffrey.

The last couple of names aren't golf pros, but rather pro hockey players from the Augusta Riverhawks who suddenly find themselves with nothing else to do after a stunning defeat at the hands of the Huntsville Havoc on Saturday.

The Riverhawks dominated the regular season in the SPHL and were heavily favored to knock off the struggling Havoc in the first round of the playoffs. After an overtime win on Wednesday, the Havoc stunned the 'hawks in Huntsville Friday with an OT win of their own, then dominated in Augusta Saturday, winning the best of 3 series at James Brown Arena.

Not too shabby for a Havoc team that limped into the playoffs with a losing record (22-28-6), no players named to the SPHL 1st, 2nd or Rookie team, a late season coaching change and roster upheaval throughout the year.

"At the end of the regular season, we had those six games to find our confidence." player turned coach Glenn Detulleo told WAAY 31 on Monday. "We seemed to be playing better every game, and that first game obviously was a heartbreaker in Augusta, but it really showed the team that with a good game, we could play with them. I think the confidence in the locker room was at an all time high for the season and the guys just played like they could win it. At the end of the day, if you believe it, obviously, that's the first step."

Now comes another challenge. The Columbus Cottonmouths.

The Havoc and the snakes have been butting heads for more than a decade, and are two of the so-called "Core Four" teams who've been in the SPHL since its inception in 2004 (Knoxville and Fayetteville being the other two). In dozens of meetings, there's never been any love lost between these two bitter rivals. At the center of the rivalry has been Cottonmouths GM/Coach Jerome Bechard. A man Detulleo has great respect for. "They're a well coached team," Detulleo said of his Columbus counterpart. "they're disciplined, they work hard."

In six regular season games against Columbus this year, Huntsville has a grand total of zero wins. (0-4-2) and has been outscored by a 26-11 margin.

But, Detulleo says the regular season means nothing right now. "We had a rough patch against them, but the great thing about the playoffs is that it's a new season. Everything starts at zero. That's the way we approached it with Augusta, and that's how we're going to concentrate on Columbus."

Havoc captain Mike MacDonald, the hero of Friday's game, agrees. "They're a deep team. We know that." MacDonald told WAAY 31 Monday. "They're coached well, so we're going to prepare for them the next couple of days and hopefully we're going to turn it around."

Game one of the three game series is Wednesday night at the Von Braun Center. "Hopefully we can get a good crowd," MacDonald said. "it's short notice, only a couple days for everyone to go out and get their tickets." Detulleo says his team will need the boost from Huntsville Wednesday. "We're hoping for a great crowd. Friday night was a decent crowd, they were loud, they were into the game, and the guys love it. In the playoffs, any kind of advantage you can get with the crowd would be nice."

Round Two Playoff Schedule Set

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:11:20 -0500

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) on Monday announced the schedule for the second round, best-of-three series in the 2012 President’s Cup Playoffs:

#2 Columbus Cottonmouths vs. #8 Huntsville Havoc
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 4 at Huntsville, 7:30 pm
Game 2 - Friday, April 6 at Columbus, 7:30 pm
Game 3 - Saturday, April 7 at Columbus, 7:30 pm (if necessary)

#3 Knoxville Ice Bears vs. #4 Pensacola Ice Flyers
Game 1 - Thursday, April 5 at Knoxville, 7:30 pm
Game 2 - Saturday, April 7 at Pensacola, 7:05 pm
Game 3 - Sunday, April 8 at Knoxville, 5:00 pm (if necessary)

Havoc Upset Top-Seeded Augusta

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 21:52:01 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Huntsville Havoc pulled off a stunning upset of the top-seeded Augusta RiverHawks in round one of the SPHL playoffs Saturday night.

The eighth-seeded Havoc, avoiding elimination with a 4-3 overtime win Friday night, completed the upset with a 6-2 victory on the road.

Huntsville scored the games first four goals, before Augusta even netted its goal in the third period. Goalie Mark Sibbald got the win stopping 25 of 27 shots.

The Havoc will open their best-of-three SPHL semifinals against the Columbus Cottonmouths on Wednesday at the Von Braun Center. Games two and three – if necessary - will be played at Columbus.

Havoc Stay Alive With OT Thriller

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 10:37:30 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - The Huntsville Havoc's roller coaster season hit a major high point Friday night with the team's 4-3 overtime victory over Augusta in the first round of the SPHL playoffs.

After a disappointing end to game one Wednesday night in Georgia, the Havoc were in a do or die situation. Win, and they have a chance to continue the playoffs Saturday. Lose, and Augusta moves on to the second round to play in-state rival Columbus, who knocked off the Louisiana Ice Gators the night before.

The teams locked in a tight defensive battle through the first period, with neither side breaking through on the score sheet. The second period was a much different story, with both teams posting a pair of goals. Colin Reddin and Justin Fox tallied for the home team, while Matt Auffrey and Egor Mironov scored for the Riverhawks.

The Riverhawks took a 3-2 lead five minutes into the third period when MVP hopeful Jim Gehring pushed the puck past Mark Sibbald. For the next 14 minutes, the Havoc frantically tried to even the score, while Augusta was content to keep the puck away and run down the clock.

With less than a minute remaining, Reddin found a loose puck in the Augusta zone and ripped a quick wrist shot that flew into the net behind Augusta goaltender Jon Olthuis. The Von Braun Center erupted in celebration. The final 50 seconds saw both teams take shots, attempting to avoid an overtime, but the time ran out with no new scoring and extra time would be needed.

The intensity of the situation was clear from the drop of the puck in OT. Both teams had several good scoring opportunities fall by the wayside, including a controversial penalty shot turned aside by Sibbald after a broken stick was flung at an Augusta shooter.

Moments after the dramatic save, Havoc forward Alex Morton led a drive into the Augusta zone down the left wing. Morton dropped a no look pass behind him to trailer Mike MacDonald who skated in and ripped a shot from just outside Olthuis' crease. The puck trickled behind the Augusta netminder and ignited a massive celebration in the stands and on the ice.

"That's something we work on every day in practice, it's called 'cross and drop at the blue line' and luckily enough, I got to the far side of the goalie and froze him a bit."

The goal was particularly key for MacDonald, who along with linemates Ray Ortiz and Morton, was a -3 in Augusta. "We're matching up with their best line and they were getting the better of us the first part of two games, and it's good to get back on the plus side with a goal."

The Havoc and Riverhawks now face each other for the third and final game of the series Saturday night, with the winner going on to face the Columbus Cottonmouths in the second round. The game will be broadcast live online at 6:30 p.m..

Havoc Regrouping After Game 1 Loss

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:00:00 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - The Huntsville Havoc are in a do or die situation Friday night.

The Southern Professional Hockey League's current format has the #8 seeded Havoc playing the #1 seeded Augusta Riverhawks in a best of three series. Wednesday night, the Havoc put up a tremendous effort in Georgia, leading the game 3-2 in the last minute of the game. However, Augusta Neil Graham was able to tie the score with just 12 seconds remaining, sending it to overtime. Captain Matt Auffrey won the game for Augusta with about 5 minutes left in overtime.

Havoc captain Glenn Detulleo wasn't deterred by the loss. "Going on the road in that situation, facing the first place team, if you'd said going into the game we'd have one shot to win the game in overtime, I think we'd all take it." Detulleo told WAAY 31 on Thursday. "So, that's the attitude we had. Obviously, we're a little disappointed but between periods we just set it aside and got ready to go to the overtime period."

Goalie Mark Sibbald agrees. "We played well all game." he said. "We definitely had changes to put them away, we had a little bit of a breakdown and they capitalized. It was defiitely a shock, and it was heartbreaking at first, but I think if you look at the bigger picture, we played with them for 60 minutes. We dominated a lot of the game. If we lost by three or four goals, I think we'd be in a lot different mindset."

Now, the Havoc must come out on top Friday night, or their season will come to an end.

The teams will meet at 7:30 at the VBC with the Havoc's season on the line. Win, and they go on to a third and final game in Augusta. Lose, and it's all over.

"Players at this level love pressure." Detulleo said. "I think our team is that kind of team and these guys are looking forward to the opportunity to send the series back to Augusta. We want the crowd to be loud. If we played the game we played Wednesday night, if we do that in our building, the crowd would love it. I think if we get the crowd behind us, I think we have a great chance."

Sibbald says that this season has been a roller coaster, but they're playing with a purpose now. "We're playing for a new coach who we believe in." he said. "If you look back a couple of years ago, we lost our first game of the playoffs the year we won, and we rattled off some really big wins. I know our group has the confidence in each other and looking forward, I think were just going to build on last night."

Havoc Riding Momentum Into Playoffs

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:05:30 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Huntsville Havoc have picked up five points in the final three regular season games included three points over the weekend as the SPHL Playoffs get under way this week.

Friday, March 22 – Mississippi Surge 0, Huntsville 3

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Mark Sibbald made 46 saves as the Huntsville Havoc beat the Mississippi Surge 3-0 Thursday night.

Stuart Stefan put the Havoc on the board first with a powerplay goal at the 11:30 mark of the first period. Colin Reddin added another powerplay goal with 2:17 remaining in the period.

Reddin added his second goal of the night with 17:15 left in the third period to finish the scoring.

Nick Eno made 20 saves in the loss as the Surge outshot the Havoc 46-23. Huntsville finsihed two of three on the powerplay as the Surge failed to score in five chances.

Saturday, March 23 – Mississippi RiverKings 4, Huntsville 3 - OT

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Matt Whitehead scored just :15 into overtime giving the Mississippi RiverKings a 4-3 win over the Huntsville Havoc Friday night in the last regular season game for the Havoc.

Daryl Stoddard put the RiverKings up first with 3:20 left in the first period when found the back of the net.

Stuart Stefan tied the game at 1-1 with 11:11 left in the second period before Jeff Topilko put Mississippi back up 2-1 with 8:27 remaining in period two. Ryan Maunu scored with 7:21 left and the two teams were tied heading into the final period.

The Havoc took their first lead of the night when Justin Fox scored a powerplay goal with 9:26 left in the game but Mark Magnowski tied the game with 4:07 to go in the game.

Mark Sibbald made 23 saves in the overtime loss while David Wilson made 20 in the win.

Three Stars of the Week
#1 Stuart Stefan – C (2 goals, 2 assists)
#2 Colin Reddin – C (2 goals, 1 assist)
#3 Justin Fox – LW (1 goal, 3 assists)

Practice Schedule
Monday, March 26th – Ice Plex – 11:00
Tuesday, March 27th – VBC – 10:00
Thursday, March 29th – VBC – 10:00

Transactions

03/21/12 Foam, Derek (D) returned on loan from Wheeling (ECHL)
03/20/12 Kretzer, Ryan (RW) placed on season ending IR

Upcoming Playoff Games
Wednesday, March 28th at Augusta RiverHawks – 6:35
Friday, March 30th vs Augusta RiverHawks – 7:30
Saturday, March 31st at Augusta RiverHawks – 6:35 (if necessary)

Sibbald Shuts Out Surge

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:36:59 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - With the playoffs just one week away, the Huntsville Havoc looked like a contender Thursday night.

Goaltender Mark Sibbald was on his game, stopping all 46 shots fired his way, and the Havoc defense stood strong blocking far more shots that never made their way through to Sibbald. "They had a lot of shots, but out D did a really good job of keeping everything to the outside." Sibbald said after the game. "It was awesome. I've never seen that many blocked shots."

The Havoc took control of the game early when Stuart Steffan redirected a shot past Mississippi's Nick Eno. A top shelf slapshot from Colin Reddin put the Havoc up 2-0 at the end of the first period, and they never looked back. Reddin added another goal on a dribbler in the third period, giving the team a 3-0 win.

Looking forward, the win couldn't have come at a better time. "As long as we're hot now, that's all that really matters."

Sibbald also addressed the recent coaching change. "It's been great for everyone. It wasn't a great atmosphere here. I'm definitely not saying it was just him, it was all of us." "I think it was a good change, and everyone got a clean slate."

Havoc Playoff Schedule Set

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:29:00 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WAAY) - The Huntsville Havoc now know who they'll face in the first round of the playoffs, and the news is not good.

The Havoc have secured the 8th and final spot in the Southern Professional Hockey League post-season. That means they will be taking on the #1 seeded Augusta Riverhawks. The 'hawks have had few problems with the Havoc this season. In seven games against Augusta, the Havoc are 2-4-2, and have been outscored 28-15.

The Havoc will travel to Augusta, GA on Wednesday, March 28th for game one and return to Huntsville on Friday, March 30th for game two, with the puck dropping at 7:30pm. Game three, if needed, will be back in Augusta on Saturday, March 31st.

Havoc season ticket holders have until Friday, March 30th at 3:00pm to purchase their same seats for the game. Call the Havoc Front Office at (256) 518-6160 to purchase them. They will be opened up for public sale at 3:00pm on game-day. Ticket prices are the same as regular season game prices and will go on sale Friday, March 23rd.

Havoc Head Into Final Week

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:56:56 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Huntsville Havoc split a pair of games on the road over the weekend, falling at Louisiana 5-1 on Friday before rebounding with a 3-2 win over the Mississippi Surge on Saturday.

Friday, March 16 – Huntsville 1, Louisiana 5

LAFAYETTE, LA - Shawn McNeil recorded a hat trick as the Louisiana Ice Gators took care of the Huntsville Havoc 5-1 on Friday night.

Josh Boyd and Tyler Lyon also netted goals for the Ice Gators while Barrett Brook scored the only goal for the Havoc.

Mark Sibbald made 29 saves in the loss while Jeff Rose and Dan Earles combined to make 27 saves in the win.

Saturday, March 17 – Huntsville 3, Mississippi Surge 2

BILOXI, MS - Mike MacDonald scored with 2:08 left in the game giving Glenn Detulleo his first career coaching win as the Huntsville Havoc beat the Mississippi Surge 3-2 Saturday night.

The Surge struck first with 2:53 left in the first period when Scott Jenks scored a powerplay goal.

Justin Fox tied the game at 1-1 with 13:43 left in the second period but Glenn Cacaro put the Surge back up 2-1 just thirty seconds later on an unassisted goal. Dennis Sicard would tie the game back up at 2-2 with 9:58 left in the second.

Mark Sibbald made 34 saves in the win while Nick Eno made 27 in the loss.

Three Stars of the Week
#1 Mike MacDonald – C (1 goal, 1 game winning goal)
#2 Barrett Brook – D (1 goal)
#3 Justin Fox – LW (1 goal)

Practice Schedule
Monday, March 19th – Ice Plex – 10:00
Tuesday, March 20th – Ice Plex – 10:00
Wednesday, March 21st – Ice Plex – 10:00

Transactions
None

Upcoming Games
Thursday, March 22nd vs Mississippi Surge – 7:30
Bill Penney Toyota presents “Hockey Night in Huntsville” - Fans can enjoy $2.00 beers and $1.00 hot dogs and sodas. The Havoc will also hold a post-game auction for the white game jerseys that winners can take as soon as the playoffs are over.

Friday, March 23rd vs Mississippi RiverKings – 7:30
Team Poster Night – The first 2,000 fans will receive a Havoc team poster and the entire team will sign the poster after the game.

Havoc Secure Playoff Spot, Fight Through Detulleo Debut

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:30:35 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Huntsville Havoc managed just one win in week 21, but that win, coupled with a Fayetteville loss, clinched a spot in the 2012 playoffs for the Havoc.

Tuesday, March 6 – Huntsville 4, Mississippi RiverKings 6

SOUTHAVEN, MS - After two periods of play the Huntsville Havoc held a commanding 4-1 lead over the Mississippi RiverKings, in the first 1:22 of the third period, that lead was erased as the RiverKings scored five goals in the third to score a 6-4 win.

Mark Magnowski scored an early powerplay goal to give Mississippie a 1-0 lead before the Havoc offense came to life. Ray Ortiz, Scott Duncan and Mike MacDonald would all score first period goals to give the Havoc a 3-1 lead after the first period of play.

Stuart Stefan added the only goal of the second period to put the Havoc up 4-1.

Matt Whitehead and Darrell Stoddard both scored two goals each in the final period and Tyler Hlookoff scored one for the RiverKings. Mississippi scored five goals on just eight shots in the final period.

Mark Sibbald had stopped 21 of 22 shots though the first two periods but allowed four goals in the first five minutes of the third before being replaced by Kevin Beech. Beech allowed one goal and made no saves. Scott Darling made 21 saves in the win.

Thursday, March 8 – Huntsville -5, Mississippi Riverkings 1

HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Huntsville Havoc rallied around each other and retiring forward Glenn Detulleo to take care of the Mississippi RiverKings 5-1 Thursday night.

Detulleo is retiring after nine seasons of professional hockey. He will take over behind the bench for the rest of this season for the Havoc.

Mike MacDonald came of the gates on fire for the Havoc scoring back-to-back goals, the first with 15:35 remaining and the second with 13:54 remaining in the first. Ray Ortiz added another goal with 6:45 left in the first and the Havoc took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

Stuart Stefan extended the lead to 4-0 with 16:49 left in the second but Justin MacDonald cut it back to 4-1 just seven seconds later. Alex Morton scored with 5:00 left in the second and the Havoc led 5-1 after two periods.

Mark Sibbald made 42 saves in the win while David Wilson made 22 in the loss.

Havoc owner Keith Jeffries coached the team from the bench after Randy Murphy stepped down earlier in the day.

Saturday, March 10 – Knoxville 5, Huntsville 3

HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Knoxville Ice Bears converted on three of six powerplay chances while the Huntsville Havoc went scoreless in a 5-3 win for the Ice Bears on Saturday night.

Alex Morton put the Havoc on the board first with 3:31 gone in the first period. Eric Satim tied the game at 1-1 with the first powerplay goal with 10:18 remaining and the game was tied 1-1 after one period.

Ricky Helmbrecht scored his first goal of the night with 1:20 gone in the second and Knoxville had a 2-1 lead. Emery Olauson scored with 10:23 left in the second and Knoxville had a two goal lead at 3-1.

Justin Fox cut the lead to 3-2 with 13:05 left in the game before Hembrecht added his second of the night with 9:54 left and Knoxville had a 4-2 lead.

Fox added another goal with 8:42 left in the game to once again cut the lead to one goal but Steve Weidley scored less than a minute later and the lead was back to two goals.

Mark Sibbald made 27 saves in the loss while Matt Hache made 26 in the win.

Three Stars of the Week
#1 Mike MacDonald – C (3 goals, 3 assists)
#2 Ray Ortiz – RW (3 goals, 2 assists)
#3 Justin Fox – LW (2 goals, 2 assists)

Practice Schedule
Monday, March 12th – Ice Plex – 10:00
Tuesday, March 13th – Ice Plex – 10:00
Wednesday, March 14th – Ice Plex – 10:00
Thursday, March 15th – Ice Plex – 10:00

Transactions
03/09/12 Detulleo, Glenn () retired
03/09/12 Detulleo, Glenn () hired as head coach
03/08/12 Murphy, Randy () dismissed as head coach
03/07/12 Beech, Kevin (G) loaned to Rapid City (CHL)
03/07/12 Krauss, Nick (G) signed contract
03/06/12 Gordon, JD (D) waived
03/06/12 Reddin, Colin (C) claimed off waivers

Upcoming Games
Friday, March 16th at Louisiana Ice Gators – 7:05
Saturday, March 17th at Mississippi Surge – 7:05

Havoc Shine in Detulleo's Send-Off

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:43:00 -0500

Huntsville, AL - After weeks of floundering inconsistency and frustrating losses, the Huntsville Havoc used the Mississippi Riverkings to get back on track Thursday night.

In front of a small, but raucous band of about 2,000 fans, the Havoc laid the wood to the visitors from Southaven. Just two days before, the Havoc led the Riverkings by a 4-1 margin with 20 minutes left to play, and blew the game, losing 6-4. Team owner Keith Jeffries hinted that game was the final straw for head coach Randy Murphy. Murphy was asked to step down on Thursday morning, and replaced by Jeffries for Thursday's game.

After meeting with team captains Mike MacDonald, Ray Ortiz and Glenn Detulleo on Thursday, Jeffries made the decision to make Detulleo the new coach, giving him one more opportunity to hit the ice before putting on a business suit.

"I told the guys, 'the only thing I want is a win.'" Detulleo told WAAY 31 after the game.

The Havoc drew first blood, going up two goals early thanks to a pair of quick strikes by MacDonald. Ray Ortiz added another goal late in the first period to give the Havoc a 3-0 lead after the first twenty minutes.

The only lapse on the night was a second period incident that saw Mark Sibbald misplay a puck off the end wall, leading to a turnover and quick score with the Havoc netminder out of position. Other than that bobble, Sibbald was perfect, making 42 saves on 43 Mississippi shots. Stuart Steffan and Alex Morton chipped in with second period goals giving the Havoc a 5-1 lead that went unchanged in the third period.

After the game, Detulleo formally retired during a small ceremony with friends, family members and teammates. He was officially named as the interim head coach for the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

Detulleo has been a leader in the locker room since coming to Huntsville in 2009. He stepped up before Thursday's game to set the tone. "I just told the guys 'go play hockey. You've been doing it all your life, you know how to do it. Relax. If you make a mistake, you're going to get back out there.'"

Saturday will be Detulleo's first official game behind the bench. The debut couldn't come at a more pressure filled time. The Havoc are still fighting to keep the 8th and final spot in the playoffs, and with it being the 8th Annual Military Appreciation Night, the game has already sold out. "No pressure, right?" Detulleo joked after the game. "I think it's going to be great. I'm looking forward to the challenge, I know the guys are, it's a great game to build off of, I'm looking forward to finding a way to get the crowd into the game and blow the roof off the building."

Saturday's game is sold out. It will be available online at AmericaOne.com with WAAY 31's own TW Starr handling play by play duties.

Murphy Resigns as Havoc Coach

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:19:09 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Huntsville Havoc owner Keith Jeffries announced today that Randy Murphy has stepped down as head coach, effective immediately.

"Randy is more than just a coach to me and Becky, he is a friend,” Jeffries said. “We appreciate the time, effort, and passion he demonstrated as our coach for the last three seasons. The decision for Randy to step down as coach breathes new life into this very talented team, and, in my opinion, gives us the best opportunity to win and perform at our best in our last six regular season games and throughout the post-season."

Murphy led the Havoc to the 2010 SPHL President’s Cup Championship, but was just 19-26-5 this season, including an 11-11-2 mark at home. The Havoc have lost nine of their last 10 games, including a 6-4 setback to the Mississippi RiverKings on Tuesday night after leading the game 4-1 heading into the final period of play. He was 80-68-14 in the regular season behind the bench for the Havoc and 7-3 in the playoffs.

“I would like to thank the Jeffries family for giving me the opportunity to coach here in Huntsville,” Murphy said. “I look forward to remaining on board in a different capacity as Director of Hockey Operations and am excited for the team in the remaining games and into the playoffs.”

Jeffries will step in tonight behind the bench, as forward Glenn Detulleo will play in his last professional game before retiring after the game. Detulleo will take over coaching duties on an interim basis for the remainder of this season.

"I will be on the bench as "coach" for tonight’s game, but trust me when I say that the captains of the team will be in charge of all on-ice decisions,” Jeffries said. “I look forward to seeing the game from this vantage point and getting a rink side seat for Glenn's last professional game as a player."

Detulleo has played in an impressive 590 career regular season games and an additional 43 career playoff games. He has scored 143 career goals and added 381 career assists for 524 career points. The Timmins, Ontario native leads the Havoc this season with 43 points (12 goals, 41 assists).

“Obviously I have mixed emotions on my hockey career coming to an end, but I’m very excited to start my coaching career,” Detulleo said. “I felt I could help the team more by being on the bench rather than on the ice. I believe in this team and I still feel we can win some hockey games.”

The Havoc will host the Mississippi RiverKings on Breland Homes Ice tonight at 7:30.

Havoc Give Up 5 Unanswered, Lose 4th Straight

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:24:44 -0500

Southaven, MS - The Huntsville Havoc are in a tailspin as the final three weeks of the regular season get underway.

After Tuesday night's debacle in Mississippi, the Havoc have now lost four in a row, and nine of their last ten. The loss Tuesday to the Riverkings was particularly devastating.

The Havoc led the home team by a 4-1 score heading in to the final 20 minutes of play. Ray Ortiz, Scott Duncan, Stuart Steffan and Mike MacDonald all contributed to give the Havoc the early lead. However, the three goal cushion was gone within 82 seconds, as the Riverkings notched three lightning quick goals on a stunned Mark Sibbald as the third period began. Sibbald was pulled from the game, but backup Kevin Beech fared no better, allowing a goal on the only shot he faced.

The Havoc sit in the 8th and final playoff spot, eight points ahead of the hapless Fayetteville FireAntz, though not yet secure in the second season, with six games remaining.

The next Havoc home game is Thursday night at the VBC against the Riverkings.

The Havoc added a new forward to the team before Tuesday's game. Colin Reddin was released by the Mississippi Surge over the weekend and acquired by Huntsville Tuesday. He had 1 assist in the game.

Burger Bytes: Havoc BFFs

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:59:00 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- When you're playing professional hockey, you have to leave your home town, friends and family to further your career.

But sometimes you'll meet your friends again years down the road.

Huntsville Havoc teammates Mike MacDonald (27) and Brad Flynn (26) have been best friends since Mike was 12 years old and Brad 11.

Flynn was the “new kid” when he moved to New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada. He soon met MacDonald and the two immediately became good friends. They also played on the same travel hockey team in New Glasgow, Bam AAA.

“In the summers, we'd go to the beach,” Flynn said. “We had to by [Mike’s] house. He was never driving and always made us drive. He still hasn't chipped in for gas money. So I got to collect on that.”

A few years later, these BFFs went their separate ways.

MacDonald went onto prep school in Connecticut and Flynn to prep school in Saskatchewan.

“He went south and I went way west,” Flynn said. “We kept in touch through email. That was back before Facebook.”

Fylnn is a rookie this year. Soon after turning pro, he was searching for a team. That's when old buddy, MacDonald stepped in.

“He sent an email to [head coach Randy Murphy] and asked me to talk to him. Asked me to explain the type of player he was,” McDonald said.

“[Mike sent the email],” Flynn said. “And I can’t thank him enough.”

For the first time since prep school, 12 years later, Mike and Brad are on the same ice on the same team with the Huntsville Havoc.

Havoc Lose 3 More, Playoff Spot in Jeopardy

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:00:41 -0500

Tuesday, February 28 – Huntsville 3, Mississippi RiverKings 4, SO

SOUTHAVEN, MS - The Mississippi RiverKings downed the Huntsville Havoc 4-3 on Tuesday morning in a game that took seven shoot out rounds to determine a winner.

Mike MacDonald got the Havoc on the board early when he found the back of the net with 12:20 left in the first period. Matt Whitehead tied the game at 1-1 with 4:18 remaining in the first period.

The two teams would swap goals again in the second period as Kyle Lundale scored a powerplay goal for Mississippi with 18:09 left and Glenn Detulleo scored for the Havoc with :34 left.

The RiverKings took a 3-2 lead just :32 into the third period on a Ken Selby goal and Brad Flynn tied the game at 3-3 with 14:05 remaining.

Jeff Topilko scored the game winner for Mississippi in the seventh round of the shoot out.

Kevin Beech took the overtime loss for the Havoc. He stopped 23 shots. Scott Darling made 32 saves in the win.

Friday, March 2 – Mississippi Surge 4, Huntsville 3

HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Huntsville Havoc dropped yet another one-goal decision falling at home 4-3 to the Mississippi Surge Friday night.

Glenn Detulleo, Greg Brown and Ray Ortiz all netted goals for the Havoc. Justin Fox and Alex Morton both had two assists each.

Nick Guran had two goals for the Surge while Adam Stuart and Jeff Grant both had one each.

Mark Sibbald made 36 saves in the loss as the Havoc were outshot 40-30. Nick Eno made 27 saves in the win.

Saturday, March 3 – Pensacola 4, Huntsville 0

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Jesse Kallechy made 32 saves as the Pensacola Ice Flyers shutout the Huntsville Havoc 4-0 Saturday night.

Andrew Harrison, Adam Kuhn, Andrew Howes and Chris Wilson all scored goals for Pensacola.

Kevin Beech started for the Havoc and allowed one goal on four shots. Mark Sibbald allowed three goals and made 22 saves.

Three Stars of the Week
#1 Glenn Detulleo – C (2 goals, 1 assist)
#2 Ray Ortiz – RW (1 goal, 2 assists)
#3 Mike MacDonald – C (1 goal, 2 assists)

Practice Schedule
Monday, March 5th – VBC – 10:30
Wednesday, March 7th – VBC – 10:30
Friday, March 9th – VBC – 10:30

Transactions

03/03/12 Brook, Barrett (D) signed contract
03/03/12 Schrank, Rick (LW) placed on 30 day IR
02/27/12 Foam, Derek (D) acquired in trade from Knoxville for Shaun Arvai
02/27/12 Morton, Alex (C) acquired in trade from Louisiana for future considerations
02/27/12 Arvai, Shaun (D) traded to Knoxville for Derek Foam

Upcoming Games
Tuesday, March 6th at Mississippi RiverKings – 7:00
Thursday, March 8th vs Mississippi RiverKings – 7:30
Saturday, March 10th vs Knoxville Ice Bears – 7:30

Upcoming Promotions

Thursday, March 8th vs Mississippi RiverKings - Bill Penney Toyota presents ‘Hockey Night in Huntsville.’ Fans can enjoy $2.00 beers and $1.00 hot dogs and sodas all game long.

Saturday, March 10th vs Knoxville Ice Bears - Intergraph presents 8th Annual Military Appreciation Night. Havoc players will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game, with proceeds benefiting Army Emergency Relief (AER).

Havoc Dealt Shootout Loss in Rare Tuesday Matinee

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:05:35 -0500

Southaven, Mississippi - The Huntsville Havoc battled hard for 65 minutes against the Mississippi Riverkings Tuesday morning, but in the end, couldn't seal the victory.

The two teams met in a rare Tuesday matinee game in Southaven in front of more than 4,000 school kids. It was one of Mississippi's "Face Off Field Trip" promotions, designed to teach Memphis area kids about the game of hockey.

Mike MacDonald scored early, but the Riverkings soon tied, then took the lead in the second period. Glenn Detulleo added a goal late in the second to tie things at 2. A pair of early goals from each team put things at 3-3 when regulation expired. Five minutes of overtime didn't settle anything, and neither did the first six rounds of the post-overtime shootout. Finally, Mississippi's Jeff Topliko slid the puck past Huntsville's Kevin Beech in the 7th round of the shootout. Huntsville's newest acquisition, Alex Morton, was unable to match the goal, and Mississippi skated off with the victory.

The Havoc will host the other team from Mississippi - the Surge - Friday night at the Von Braun Center.

Havoc Acquire Louisiana Left Winger Morton

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:29:53 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Huntsville Havoc head coach, Randy Murphy, announced today that the team has acquired forward Alex Morton in a trade with the Louisiana Ice Gators. Louisiana will receive future considerations from the Havoc.

Morton has played in 46 games this season for Louisiana and scored nine goals and added 16 assists. He also put up 34 goals and recorded 54 assists in 101 games at SUNY-Fredonia from 2007-2011.

One of the Havoc's leading scorers : Ryan Kretzer, was placed on the 30 day injured reserve list last week.

The Havoc also announced that the rights to defenseman Shaun Arvai were traded to the Knoxville Ice Bears for the rights to defenseman, Derek Foam.