Birmingham in the middle of a tight race for the SPHL Playoffs

Presented by Bham Now

With only six games remaining in the regular season, Birmingham finds themselves in the middle of the tightest race in memory for the SPHL Playoffs.  Only eight points separate second place Roanoke from eighth place Quad City.  The margin for error has practically disappeared.  Every game in which you don’t obtain points could put you at the back of the pack within a weekend series.  The playoffs arrived early in the SPHL this year.  

Last weekend the Birmingham Bulls and Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs treated the Bulls fans by giving a little preview of what playoff hockey looks like.  Both teams won each game by one goal,  Roanoke won 6-5 Friday night while the Bulls fought back with a late third period goal by MacGregor Sinclair to tie the game before Doug Scott scored the game winner in overtime winning 4-3 Saturday night.  With the win the Bulls won their 8th of the last 11 games and aims to continue that going forward. 

Now Pensacola comes to the Pelham Civic Complex for the last two home games of the season for Birmingham and they come with revenge on their minds.  Birmingham went to Pensacola on February 27th and 28th and won both 4-1 then 2-0 the following night.  That weekend spoiled what was supposed to be a festive 30th anniversary celebration.  But Birmingham, behind the goaltending of Talor Joseph, swept the Ice Flyers spoiling their weekend. 

Pensacola comes into Pelham on a streak of their own.  The Ice Flyers took two of three games from Peoria, all on the road, and are 3-1-1 in their last five games.  Pensacola has had goaltending issues all season long losing their top three goalies to call ups to the ECHL.  Last week they picked up goaltender Christian Propp who has been bouncing around the ECHL all season.  He won his only start 4-2 against Macon last weekend.  

The Bulls were led last weekend by Sinclair and Drake Glover.  Glover had a four goal night on Friday night then finished off Saturday adding two assists for a six point weekend.  Along with the game tying goal Saturday, Sinclair finished the weekend with a goal and three assists for a four point weekend.  Rookie Matt Wood continues to impress with a four point weekend as well.  With the goal and three assists, Wood is now second overall in rookie scoring in the SPHL with 11 goals and 20 assists.

With the number of games and chances to elevate in the standings dwindling the formula is simple.  Win the majority of the remaining games and they are in.  Anything less leaves the Bulls hoping for help.  “The standings are so tight, and they're going to fluctuate until the last game of the season,” Head Coach Craig Simchuk said.  “We want to come in the front door, as in we control our own destiny and not rely on other teams losing to help.”

Right in the middle of the standings, Birmingham has it all in front of them.  Home ice advantage is just a couple of wins away.  “We know we have to take care of our business and everything else will fall into place,” said Simchuk.  “We aren’t looking too far ahead.  We are just taking this day by day.”  

These two games are of utmost importance as Birmingham finishes the season on the road at Huntsville March 27 and 28 then finishes the season in Knoxville April 3 and 4 in what will likely determine where the Bulls finish the season.