The Fayetteville Marksmen took two from the Macon Mayhem for their first series sweep of the season in Macon. But before they could bring out the brooms the Marksmen would reveal their sweaters for Pro Wrestling Night
Friday night the Marksmen took the Mayhem for 3 in a 3-1 win. Dalton Hunter started the scoring for Fayetteville with help from Simon Boyko with 18:49 left in the first. Boyko would end the night with one assist and a fratricidal goal as his brother Josh was in net for the Mayhem.
Tyler Kobryn was next up on the scoreboard for Fayetteville to make things 2-0. Shortly after the Kobryn goal, the Marksmen would find themselves on a power play ultimately lasting for 6:09, though Fayetteville never converted what was at times 5-3 hockey before the period ended.
Early in the second, the Marksmen again found themselves in penalty trouble. After a brief meeting of the minds, Captain Connor “Fries in the Winter and Fries in the Summer” Fries ended up in the box for fighting and eventually Kyle Soper would join for an interference. Still newly signed Connor O’Brien kept the Mayhem out of the net as the Fayetteville’s PK hustled at 4 x 4 and 4 x 3. The Simon Boyko goal would make it 3-0 for the good guys at the end of the third. Penalty trouble would cause problems for the Marksmen in the third and the Fayetteville PK did give up one to Macon.
Kobryn’s goal in the second would hold significance in franchise history as it marked the 500th in the history of the team. Friday’s win also marked the first pro hockey win for Ryan Cruthers as a full-time head coach.
It was Peanuts Night in Macon Saturday and the Mayhem left their horned helmets and battle clubs at home to don the cast of 1966 film “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” Both sides found themselves as successful at Charlie Brown’s field goal attempts for the first period and it would be well into the second before Billy Jerry got his first of the year with help from Cam Cook and Nick Parody.
Macon would tally one roughly two minutes later and in transition from a Max “Bang Bang Maxwell’s Johnson fighting penalty the Mayhem made it 2-1 which is how the second would end.
In the third, the teams would trade goals, and a few more punches early in the period. Johnson would sweep Fayetteville back to within one with his second point of the night as the answer to Macon’s 3-1 lead. Then, on the power play Simon Boyko would tie things up with 8:16 remaining.
On a rebound from a massive shot from Max Johnson, Cam “Sure Can” Cook ended the comeback for the Marksmen at 13:56 in the third.
With his assist, goal, and fight, Max Johnson picks up his first Gordie Howe hat trick on the year, and the for the Marksmen.
Fayetteville’s sweep of the Mayhem also jumped them ahead of Macon in the SPHL standings.
The Marksmen head to Knoxville to take on the IceBears on Friday before heading home to the old North State for Pro Wrestling Night featuring WWE HOF Mick Foley, Saturday, November 4, at the Crown Coliseum. Visit marksmenhockey.com to get yours today.