SPHL Power Rankings Volume Two
#1 Huntsville Havoc (Last Volume: #4)
Currently sitting atop the SPHL standings, it only makes sense to put the defending champions in the forefront of the power rankings. Since the first volume,the Havoc split a home-and-home with Knoxville. Additionally, Huntsville took two out of three against last week’s power ranking leaders in the Birmingham Bulls, with the only loss being a 7-8 collapse after taking a 4-0 lead. Huntsville has seen a high-octane offense led by Center Rob Derrar, who is tied for first in the SPHL for points with 11. The Havoc’s weakness over this span has certainly been in its goaltending, giving up 4.8 goals a game over that stretch. Huntsville is first place in the league by one point, with Birmingham and Pensacola hot on their trials. In other words, the room for error for the Havoc is considerably slim.
#2 Birmingham Bulls (Last Volume: #1)
The Bulls have not necessarily performed poorly since last week’s power rankings, going 2-2-0 since then. The Bulls started this stretch with a 4-3 win in a lengthy shootout. However after Birmingham would go on to drop two of three to Huntsville at home, it only made sense to put the Havoc above them. With that being said, it’s worth noting that every battle with the Havoc was a one goal game, and could’ve gone either way. Birmingham’s strengths and weaknesses seemed to swap since their first handful of games, as goaltending has struggled as of late. Austin Lotz finds himself in 11th out of 12 in average goals allowed in the SPHL. Additionally, Rookie Hayden Lavigne struggled in a 4-3 loss to the Havoc on MLK day. On the flip side, the Bulls’ power play has improved tremendously, going 3 for 4 in a 7-8 win last Friday. The Bulls find themselves in second place in the standings ,behind Huntsville by a single point with a game in hand.
#3 Macon Mayhem (Last Volume: #3)
The Mayhem hasn’t played a game since volume one due to COVID-19 complications, so it was only fair to freeze them in the power rankings. Macon is expected to return to action against Knoxville on the 28th, so only time will tell the direction in which the Mayhem will trend.
#4 Pensacola Ice Flyers (Last Volume: #2)
The Ice Flyers are the most drastic drop in this Volume’s rankings, dropping two of three contests since the first volume. Pensacola lost to the Bulls in a shootout, and split two games against the IceBears. The Flyers offensive talent is still there, with Center Eddie Matsushima and Right Wing Alex Hagaman both in the top four in SPHL points. Logic would point to the defense as the source of Pensacola’s issues, as goaltenders Jake Kupsky and Chase Perry are holding up fairly well (3rd and 6th best in Goals Allowed respectively). With that being said, the Ice Flyers find themselves tied with the Bulls in the standings, behind first-place Huntsville by a mere point.
#5 Knoxville IceBears (Last Volume: #5)
Similar to last volume’s synopsis, as the IceBears are the only team in the SPHL with a losing record, they find themselves in the basement of the power rankings as well. Nevertheless, this wasn’t a bad week for the Bears, splitting both a home-and-home against Huntsville and two home games against Pensacola. In that span they beat the SPHL-leading Havoc by a score of 6-2, revealing Knoxville’s true potential. More games like that, and the IceBears will be climbing up the standings in no time.
