Macon Mayhem set to begin first playoff series in five seasons

The Macon Mayhem will play in their first SPHL playoff series since 2021 this week, and there’s no shortage of intrigue as the team prepares to take the ice.

The Mayhem secured the SPHL’s eighth and final playoff spot when they defeated the Fayetteville Marksmen 6-2 on the road April 3. They finished with a record of 26-26-3 and 58 points, three points ahead of the No. 9-ranked Quad City Storm.

That No. 8 seed means Macon must play the No. 1 team in the league, the Peoria Rivermen, in the first round of the playoffs in a best-of-three series.

That presents the first of many interesting wrinkles to the first Mayhem playoff showdown in five years: it will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2024, as Macon and Peoria did not face off during the regular season.

“I would assume there’s gonna be a feel-out process, kind of chaotic at times. I think once both teams settle in it’s gonna make for some good puck watching,” Mayhem head coach Dave Pszenyczny said Monday. “I really feel respectful of Peoria and how they play, finishing first, but playoffs are just a different animal with how quick it is. It’s not a best-of-seven, it’s a best of three, and we’re at an advantage here where we get to start at home.”

That’s the next oddity that surrounds this playoff tilt: the Mayhem, despite being the lower seed, get home ice in Game 1. The travel for a normal best-of-three format — usually the top seed would be at home first, then the No. 8 team would host Game 2 before the series returned to the No. 1 team if necessary — would be too strenuous because the teams are so far apart.

The Mayhem get the chance to take an early edge in the series as a result, and they’ll do it in front of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a playoff hockey game in a while.

“We’re really grateful to be in this position,” Pszenyczny said. “It’s something to say with this organization: it’s been a while since there’s been playoff hockey here in Macon. We’re gonna give it our best. It’s amazing how loud this crowd can be here in Macon. We know they’re gonna be behind us 110%. When we got back from Fayetteville (after clinching a playoff spot), we had fans waiting for us in the parking lot at 4:30 in the morning. We want them to know that we’re gonna do our best.”

Nonetheless, Peoria will be a tough opponent. The Rivermen, who are a frequent contender in the SPHL despite being one of the only teams in the league outside the South, went 38-17-3 this season and outscored opponents 159-111 this season en route to finishing atop the standings for the second consecutive season.

The Mayhem have played well against some top opponents — on Feb. 21, for example, Macon scored three goals in the final period to topple the Huntsville Havoc, who ended up in second place in the league — and will have some players to watch in the postseason.

One of those players, Khaden Henry, actually played 17 games for Peoria this season before the Rivermen placed him on waivers. The Mayhem picked Henry up, and the young left wing scored nine goals in 10 games while quickly becoming a driving force for Macon’s offense down the stretch.

“I’d say he probably has a good shot to win Rookie of the Year,” Pszenyczny said of Henry. “Now there’s a chance for a little bit of redemption against his old team. Whenever you get a guy scoring a point per game and almost scoring every single game, that’s a big (acquisition) for the team.”

The Mayhem also acquired Michael Herrera from the Rivermen. He’s since become a solid contributor as well, notching 36 points in 41 games for Macon after 2 points in 12 contests for Peoria prior to landing in Macon.

Even Pszenyczny himself has a connection to Peoria, as he spent multiple seasons with the Rivermen as a crucial veteran defender.

“I was a player for Peoria when we lost to Macon in the championship (in 2017). I was on the receiving end. Then when I coached for Quad City, we faced Peoria. I’m familiar with what’s at stake. It’s unique with all the connections that have been made between Macon and Peoria,” Pszenyczny said.

The Mayhem meet the Rivermen in Game 1 at the Macon Coliseum on Thursday at 7 p.m. before playing Game 2 on the road at 8:15 EST Saturday. If a Game 3 is necessary, it will begin at 6 p.m. EST on Sunday. Mayhem fans can watch the road games at the team’s official watch party at Taco Mac in Macon.