A new Fayetteville Marksmen record was set Friday by Simon Boyko. The record? Most consecutive games with points. Plus, Fayetteville Marksmen overcame two deficits to defeat the Macon Mayhem 4-3 in a shootout Friday at the Macon Coliseum.
Although Marksmen goalie Ryan Kenny had 17 in the first, Macon took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
But after nearly 40 minutes of being shutout, Fayetteville finally got on the board late in the second frame. John Moncovich set up a Roman Kraemer's shot and Connor "Fries in the winter, Fries in the summer" Fries shoved in the rebound at 18:47 to make a 2-1 game. Fayetteville headed into the intermission down only 2-1 have being outshot 33-18.
Then came Simon Boyko's franchise record goal with assists from Cam "Sure Can" Cook and Tyler Barrow to tie the game at 2:58. Macon went up 3-2 with under 12 minutes left in the game, but what proved to be a costly late penalty would give the Marksmen another chance. With 1:55 left on the clock, Fayetteville pulled its goalie Ryan Kenny to create a 6-on-4 powerplay scenario, and with 68 seconds left in regulation, Barrow tied the game from sauce Boyko and Cook.
Overtime when scoreless and for the first time this season, the Marksmen would head to the shootout. Credit where credit is due, Fayetteville goalie Ryan Kenny had made 45 saves on 48 shots faced.
Fayetteville and Macon traded scorers in the first four rounds of the shootout, with Roman Kraemer, Jestin Somero, and Barrow finding the back of the net. Kenny stopped Macon’s fifth shooter, and Moncovich scored in the bottom of round to secure Fayetteville’s win.
The good times kept going Saturday as the Marksmen met the Mayhem for a second record setting game.
Fayetteville got the scoring started over 12 minutes into the first period when newly returned Grant "Mc" Loven’s shot bounced off a Macon player in front of the net. Dalton Hunter and Tyler Kobryn were credited assists to give the Marksmen a 1-0 lead.
Macon came out hot and put to on the score sheet within the first ten of the second period. Unperturbed, Fayetteville would answer. With just over a minute left in the frame, Tyler Barrow tied the game with two second on the clock with help from Cam Cook and Matt Araujo.
Former Mayhem Jamie Dorsey scored the eventual game-winning goal half way through the final frame. Coming as no surprise, Cook and Barrow where the assistants. John Moncovich added insurance after angling a puck off a Macon defenseman from Connor Fries and Araujo.
Ryan Kenny won his seventh straight start between the pipes and recorded 43 saves in the win.
With the win Saturday, Fayetteville became the first SPHL team to string seven wins together during the 2023-24 season. The wins also mean the Marksmen bypassed the Birmingham Bulls for first place in the SPHL standings. But the Marksmen face the Bulls, at home for a critical three game set
January 19, 20 and 21.