Wreaking Havoc

MacDonald, Ortiz Return, Sicard traded

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:36:08 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Huntsville Havoc head coach Glenn Detulleo announced today that the team has re-signed veteran forwards Mike MacDonald and Ray Ortiz. Both players are the only remaining members of the 2009-10 President’s Cup Championship team.

MacDonald will be returning for his fourth season with the Havoc. In 165 games in a Havoc uniform, the New Glasgow, Nova Scotia native has scored 54 goals and recorded 85 assists. He has scored 67 goals and recorded 106 assists in 285 career games. He has also scored eight goals and recorded eight assists in 21 career playoff games. He currently ranks sixth of the all-time Havoc list for games played, fifth in goals, fourth in assists and fourth in total points.

“I’m looking forward to coaching Mac for an entire season,” Detulleo said. “He’s a huge contributor for us on both ends of the ice. With our style of play this season, there is no reason Mac can’t set career highs in point production and as our Captain, I look to Mike to continue being a great leader to our younger players.”

“This was a very easy decision for me to make,” MacDonald said. “The Havoc are a top-notch organization from top to bottom and the fans are the best around. I look forward to playing for Glenn and doing whatever I can to make sure this team wins.”

Ortiz returns to Huntsville for his fifth season. The Charlestown, Massachusetts native has played in 212 games for the Havoc and scored 60 goals and recorded 85 assists. He has scored 69 goals and recorded 99 assists in 278 career games. He also has seven goals and five assists in 26 career playoff games. He currently ranks second on the all-time Havoc list for games played, fourth in goals scored, fourth in assists and third in total points.

“There was no doubt that I wanted Ray as one of my vets this season,” Detuello said. “He is one of the most consistent and complete players I’ve played with during my career. I’m confident with our up tempo style of play that Ray will have the opportunity to produce more offense.”

“I'm very much looking forward to coming back to Huntsville for another season,” Ortiz said. “Having played with Glenn behind the bench for such a short time last season, I look forward to having him there for an entire season, and am honored to be part of his first season as a coach. I also look forward to the challenge of bringing the President's Cup back to Huntsville to our very deserving fans, organization, and coach.”

Detulleo also announced that the Havoc traded the rights to forward Dennis Sicard to Augusta for the rights to defenseman Ed Snetsinger.

Snetsinger has played in 102 career games and scored 15 goals and added 52 assists. He played in 56 games for Augusta last season and scored 10 goals and added 38 assists.

"Having already signed 2 veteran forwards and the need for a veteran defenseman, we made the difficult decision of trading Dennis today,” Detulleo said. “Our biggest weakness last season was our inexperience on the blue line and we intend to use our final vet spot to fill that void. This trade also gave us the rights to one of the best defenseman in the SPHL last season."

The Havoc will begin their ninth season this fall on Breland Homes Ice at the Propst Arena.

Havoc unveil 2012/2013 schedule

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:36:46 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAAY) - The Huntsville Havoc have released their 2012/2013 schedule.

The red & black will spend the first two weeks on the road, taking on the Louisiana Ice Gators on October 26th and 27th. The following weekend, they'll visit Knoxville and Augusta.

The first home game for the Havoc is set for Saturday, November 10th against the Fayetteville FireAntz. A rare Sunday matinee will be held the next day at 5pm against the Antz as well.

Some of the other highlights from the schedule are on December 13th, when Billy McCreary returns to Huntsville with the Mississippi RiverKings. On December 28th, when the hated Knoxville Ice Bears make their first appearance at the VBC, and the defending champion Columbus Cottonmouths snake their way into Huntsville on December 22nd. The final regular season home game is scheduled for March 23rd.

To see the full schedule, click here.

McCreary returns to SPHL...in Mississippi

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:37:46 -0500

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. -- Mississippi RiverKings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Derek Landmesser announced today that the team has signed veteran defenseman Bill McCreary. Terms and conditions were not released.

"Bill will be a very important piece on the backend with his championship experience and veteran leadership," said Landmesser. "He's a hard-nosed, gritty player who will make us a more difficult team to play against."

The 28-year-old defenseman is entering his seventh professional season in 2012-13. The Curry College product won an SPHL President's Cup with the Huntsville Havoc in 2010 and a championship in the Federal Hockey League with the New Jersey Outlaws last season. The Southampton, Ont. native has registered 25 goals, 136 assists and 700 penalty minutes in 258 career games split between the "A" and "AA" levels.

RiverKings season tickets are on sale now for the 2012-13 season. Season tickets start at just $9 per game and are available by calling the front office at 662-342-1755.

The Mississippi RiverKings are supported by their community partners, season ticket holders, fans, and by program-related investments of the Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Miss. To find out more about the RiverKings, call 662.342.1755 or visit www.riverkings.com.

Richardson, Kretzer traded

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:30:08 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Huntsville Havoc head coach Glenn Detulleo has been busy in his first couple of months as head coach of the team and that was evident today as the team announced a couple of trades.

The rights to Havoc forward Brandon Richardson have been traded to the Fayetteville FireAntz for the rights to forward Mike Forgie.

Forgie, at 6-3, 210, brings some size to Havoc front line. He played in 41 games in Fayetteville last season and scored 17 goals and recorded 23 assists. He played three seasons in Europe from 2008-2011 where he scored 56 goals and recorded 82 assists in only 109 games. The Scarborough, Ontario native played in 108 collegiate games at Wayne State where he scored 27 goals and had 29 assists.

Richardson played in 26 games for the Havoc last season before getting called up to the Bloomington Blaze of the CHL. He scored 13 goals and recorded 10 assists in a Havoc uniform. He scored four goals and had 16 assists in 36 games for the Blaze.

Detulleo also announced that the Havoc traded forward Ryan Kretzer to the Mississippi RiverKings for future considerations. Kretzer played in 38 games for the Havoc last season, but missed the final 14 and the playoffs with an injury. He played in 45 games during the 2010-11 season. In all, the St. Louis, Missouri native scored 26 goals and recorded 46 assists as a member of the Havoc.

The Havoc will begin their ninth season this fall on Breland Homes Ice at the Propst Arena.

McWhinney excited to come back to Huntsville

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:04:29 -0500

SAULT STE MARIE, Ontario (WAAY) - Dan McWhinney is coming back to Huntsville.

The unexpected news came Tuesday morning, when Havoc coach Glenn Detulleo announced that the former playoff MVP who led the Havoc to their lone title in 2010 had agreed to return.

After an uncomfortable departure at the end of the 2010-2011 season, McWhinney spent last year playing in the FHL, winning a championship with the New Jersey Outlaws. Several other familiar names were on that roster, including Travis Kauffeldt, Billy McCreary, Kevin Cooper, Trevor Karasiewicz, Jeff Winchester and Brett Liscomb.

So, what changed?

"I asked Glenn (Detulleo) over the summer, knowing that Huntsville still owned my rights, I asked what he was doing with me, I asked 'are you going to trade me, are you doing to hold on to me, what are you doing?'" McWhinney says Detulleo expressed interest in bringing him back, and he was eager to return as well. After a few days going back and forth, a deal was reached.

That begs the obvious question - was Randy Murphy a factor in McWhinney's departure?

Speaking to WAAY 31 from his home in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, McWhinney chose his words carefully, but made his feelings clear. "I think we had a problem where we didn't see eye to eye on a few things. There were choices he made I didn't agree with, and that's what landed me in New Jersey." he said. "I think Glenn is more in the players heads. He's more of a players coach than Randy was."

So will any of his friends in New Jersey be coming back too? That depends on them, and if Detulleo is interested in them, McWhinney says. "Maybe I can persuade a couple of them. We'll see. It's a tough persuasion. The guys are getting older so they're getting girlfriends and wives and jobs, it's tough."

McWhinney was always a fan favorite, and the feeling is mutual. "I'm very excited to see the fans. I feel like it's been too long." McWhinney says there was a much smaller base in New Jersey. "There's not a week or month that goes by that I don't watch the championship videos from Huntsville. The 6,000 fans that were there, we all shared a moment. I love every single one of them."

To hear the entire conversation with Dan McWhinney, click the video below.

McWhinney coming back to Huntsville

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:24:25 -0500

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Huntsville Havoc head coach Glenn Detulleo announced today that former Havoc goaltender Dan McWhinney has signed with the team for the 2012-13 season.

“My first priority as head coach was to find an elite goaltender and I feel we have done this with the signing of Dan McWhinney,” Detulleo said. “I expect him to come back to Huntsville and continue to play at the level fans here are used to. Coming off another championship and playoff MVP performance this past season, Dan will bring invaluable experience and leadership to our locker room.”

McWhinney played in 62 games in two seasons with the Huntsville Havoc from 2009-2011. He posted a 32-23-5 record in the regular season with a 2.92 goals against average and an 89.9 save percentage. He was named Playoff MVP during the 2009-10 season when he went 7-1 in the playoffs with a 1.96 goals against average and a 92.9 save percentage as the Havoc claimed the President’s Cup.

“I am looking forward to coming back and playing in Huntsville for another season and to have the chance to play for Glenn,” McWhinney said. “The thing I am most excited about is getting to see the great Huntsville fans and have a chance to play for them again.”

The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native has played in 170 career games and posted an 85-62-12 career record. He has a career 3.19 goals against average and an 89.9 save percentage. He won his second championship and claimed his second playoff MVP award last season with the New Jersey Outlaws of the Federal Hockey League.

The Havoc also signed rookie defenseman Domenic Recchia. The Sterling Heights, Michigan native spent the past four years at Johnson & Wales University, where he played in 105 games, scored 12 goals and recorded 84 assists. He was a two-time ECAC First-Team defenseman, a two-year captain, a third-team USCHO All-American, and finished second in the nation in scoring for defenseman.

“Domenic is a player that came highly recommended and had great success in his college career,” Havoc assistant coach Jordan Little said. “We are excited about adding a player like him to our roaster and expect him to make an immediate impact both offensively and defensively.”

The Havoc will begin their ninth season this fall on Breland Homes Ice at the Propst Arena.

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.