2014–15 SPHL season

{{Infobox sports season

| title = 2014–15 SPHL season

| league = Southern Professional Hockey League

| sport = Ice hockey

| duration = October 24, 2014–April 18, 2015

| no_of_games = 56

| no_of_teams = 8

| season = Regular season

| season_champ_name= William B. Coffey Trophy

| season_champs = Peoria Rivermen

| MVP = Matt Gingera (Columbus)

| MVP_link =

| top_scorer = Adam Pawlick (Pensacola)

| top_scorer_link =

| playoffs = Playoffs

| conf1 = Finals

| conf1_link = President's Cup (SPHL)

| conf1_champ = Knoxville Ice Bears

| conf1_runner-up = Mississippi RiverKings

| playoffs_MVP = Bryan Hince (Knoxville){{cite news|last1=Link |first1=Dave |title=MVP Bryan Hince makes 36 saves as Ice Bears win SPHL title |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/mvp-bryan-hince-makes-36-saves-as-ice-bears-win-sphl-title_55051040 |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=Knoxville News-Sentinel |publisher=Scripps Media Inc. |date=April 19, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420022021/http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/mvp-bryan-hince-makes-36-saves-as-ice-bears-win-sphl-title_55051040 |archivedate=April 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| playoffs_MVP_link =

| seasonslist =

| seasonslistnames = SPHL

| prevseason_link = 2013–14 SPHL season

| prevseason_year = 2013–14

| nextseason_link = 2015–16 SPHL season

| nextseason_year = 2015–16

}}

The 2014–15 SPHL season was the 11th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Knoxville Ice Bears defeated the Mississippi RiverKings in the President's Cup final 2 games to none to win their 4th SPHL title.

Preseason

Following the 2013-14 season, the Bloomington Thunder announced that they would cease operations as a professional franchise to field a junior team in the United States Hockey League.{{cite web|url=http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140325/Sports/140329407 |title=SPHL's Bloomington Thunder to suspend operations, make way for USHL junior team |work=pjstar.com |date=March 25, 2014 |accessdate=October 27, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504122430/http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140325/Sports/140329407 |archivedate=May 4, 2015 |url-status=live }}

In May 2014, the Mississippi Surge announced that they would suspend operations for the 2014-15 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.pnj.com/story/sports/2014/05/03/mississippi-surge-exiting-sphl/8643193/ |title=Mississippi Surge exiting the SPHL |work=pnj.com |date=May 2, 2014 |accessdate=October 27, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028042710/http://www.pnj.com/story/sports/2014/05/03/mississippi-surge-exiting-sphl/8643193/ |archivedate=October 28, 2014 |url-status=live }}

In June 2014, the league approved the move of the Augusta Riverhawks to Macon, Georgia, with the team being rebranded the Macon Mayhem. The Mayhem will sit out the 2014-15 season, and will begin league play in the 2015-16 season.{{cite web|url=http://thesphl.com/view/thesphl/news/news_158472 |title=SPHL Approves RiverHawks’ Move To Macon, GA For 2015-2016 Season |work=thesphl.com |date=June 25, 2014 |accessdate=October 27, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090823/http://www.thesphl.com/view/thesphl/news/news_158472 |archivedate=April 2, 2015 |url-status=live }}

Teams

class="wikitable" style="width:auto"
bgcolor="#0C2340" align="center" colspan="5"\|2014-15 Southern Professional Hockey League
Team \|\| City \|\| Arena
Columbus Cottonmouths \| Columbus, Georgia \| Columbus Civic Center
Fayetteville FireAntz \| Fayetteville, North Carolina \| Crown Complex
Huntsville Havoc \| Huntsville, Alabama \| Von Braun Center
Knoxville Ice Bears \| Knoxville, Tennessee \| Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Louisiana IceGators \| Lafayette, Louisiana \| Cajundome
Mississippi RiverKings \| Southaven, Mississippi \| Landers Center
Pensacola Ice Flyers \| Pensacola, Florida \| Pensacola Bay Center
Peoria Rivermen \| Peoria, Illinois \| Carver Arena

class="wikitable" style="width:auto"

bgcolor="#0C2340" align="center" colspan="5"|2014-15 Southern Professional Hockey League

Team || City || Arena

Columbus Cottonmouths

| Columbus, Georgia

| Columbus Civic Center

Fayetteville FireAntz

| Fayetteville, North Carolina

| Crown Complex

Huntsville Havoc

| Huntsville, Alabama

| Von Braun Center

Knoxville Ice Bears

| Knoxville, Tennessee

| Knoxville Civic Coliseum

Louisiana IceGators

| Lafayette, Louisiana

| Cajundome

Mississippi RiverKings

| Southaven, Mississippi

| Landers Center

Pensacola Ice Flyers

| Pensacola, Florida

| Pensacola Bay Center

Peoria Rivermen

| Peoria, Illinois

| Carver Arena

Map of teams

{{CSS crop

|Location=left

|Description=10px SPHL teams

|bSize=950

|cWidth=450

|cHeight=310

|oLeft=350

|oTop=250

|Content=

{{Location map+ | USA

| width = 1100

| caption =

| places =

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 32.45

| lon_deg = -84.99

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Columbus

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 35.02

| lon_deg = -78.90

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Fayetteville

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 34.73

| lon_deg = -86.59

| mark = Black pog.svg

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| label = Huntsville

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 35.97

| lon_deg = -83.91

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Knoxville

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 30.22

| lon_deg = -92.04

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Louisiana

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 34.93

| lon_deg = -90.00

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Mississippi

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 30.42

| lon_deg = -87.21

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Pensacola

| background=#ffe}}

{{Location map~ | USA

| lat_deg = 40.69

| lon_deg = -89.59

| mark = Black pog.svg

| label_size = 80

| position = top

| label = Peoria

| background=#ffe}}

}}

Regular season

The October 25, 2014 game between the Peoria Rivermen and the Huntsville Havoc was postponed after Huntsville player Justin Cseter fell onto Peoria's Dennis Sicard's skate, slashing his thigh early in the second period.{{cite news|last1=Corrigan |first1=John |title=Huntsville Havoc player recovering at home after suffering serious injury during Saturday's game in Peoria, IL |url=http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2014/10/huntsville_havoc_player_recove_1.html |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=The Huntsville Times |publisher=Alabama Media Group |date=October 26, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111305/http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2014/10/huntsville_havoc_player_recove_1.html |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live }} The conclusion of the game was played on February 7, prior to a regularly scheduled game between the teams. Peoria won the completion of the October 25 game 3-1, but Huntsville won the regularly scheduled game also by the score of 3-1.{{cite news|last1=Eminian |first1=Dave |title=Rivermen split historic doubleheader, take sole possession of SPHL top spot; Huntsville player ejected for alleged racial slur |url=http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150207/SPORTS/150209267/11130/SPORTS |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=Journal Star |publisher=Gatehouse Media, Inc. |date=February 7, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414080931/http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150207/SPORTS/150209267/11130/SPORTS |archivedate=April 14, 2015 |url-status=live |location=Peoria, IL }}

=Standings=

class="wikitable" ! width="40%" \| Team{{cite web\|url=http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/standings.html?leagueid=215&seasonid=13090 \|title=SPHL Standings \|publisher=Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc. \|accessdate=April 19, 2015 \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418122553/http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/standings.html?leagueid=215&seasonid=13090 \|archivedate=April 18, 2015 \|url-status=live }} ! width="5%" \| {{tooltip\|GP \|Games played}} ! width="5%" \| {{tooltip\|W \|Wins}} ! width="5%" \| {{tooltip\|L \|Regulation Losses}} ! width="5%" \| {{tooltip\|OTL\|Overtime Losses}} ! width="7.5%" \| {{tooltip\|GF \|Goals for}} ! width="7.5%" \| {{tooltip\|GA \|Goals against}} ! width="7.5%" \| {{tooltip\|Pts\|Points}}
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Peoria Rivermen^‡	56	36	17	3	186	149	75
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Columbus Cottonmouths	56	33	19	4	182	161	70
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Pensacola Ice Flyers	56	32	18	6	179	148	70
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Mississippi RiverKings	56	33	21	2	169	140	68
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Knoxville Ice Bears	56	31	22	3	159	166	65
align=center bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \|align=left\| Louisiana IceGators	56	27	21	8	177	184	62
align=center bgcolor= \|align=left\| Fayetteville FireAntz	56	21	27	8	143	193	50
align=center bgcolor= \|align=left\| Huntsville Havoc	56	11	38	7	130	184	29

:^‡ William B. Coffey Trophy winners

:{{Color box|#CCFFCC|border=darkgray}} Advanced to playoffs

=Attendance=

class="wikitable" ! Team ! Total ! Games ! Average
align=center \|align=left\| Peoria	113,710	28	4,061
align=center \|align=left\| Pensacola	110,632	28	3,951
align=center \|align=left\| Huntsville	100,381	28	3,585
align=center \|align=left\| Knoxville	98,408	28	3,514
align=center \|align=left\| Fayetteville	85,122	28	3,040
align=center \|align=left\| Columbus	82,290	28	2,938
align=center \|align=left\| Mississippi	71,711	28	2,561
align=center \|align=left\| Louisiana	65,433	28	2,336
align=center \|align=left\| League	727,687	224	3,248

President's Cup playoffs

=Playoff bracket=

{{6TeamBracket-SeedingPlayIn|RD2-shift=-1

| boldwinner = y

| byes = y

| RD1 = Quarterfinals

| RD2 = Semifinals

| RD3 = Finals

| RD1-seed1 = 1

| RD1-team1 = Peoria Rivermen

| RD1-score1 = 1

| RD1-seed2 = 6

| RD1-team2 = Louisiana IceGators

| RD1-score2 = 2

| RD1-seed3 = 2

| RD1-team3 = Columbus Cottonmouths

| RD1-score3 = 1

| RD1-seed4 = 5

| RD1-team4 = Knoxville Ice Bears

| RD1-score4 = 2

| RD1-seed5 = 3

| RD1-team5 = Pensacola Ice Flyers

| RD1-score5 = 1

| RD1-seed6 = 4

| RD1-team6 = Mississippi RiverKings

| RD1-score6 = 2

| RD2-seed3 = 5

| RD2-team3 = Knoxville

| RD2-score3 = 2

| RD2-seed4 = 6

| RD2-team4 = Louisiana

| RD2-score4 = 1

| RD3-seed1 = 4

| RD3-team1 = Mississippi

| RD3-score1 = 0

| RD3-seed2 = 5

| RD3-team2 = Knoxville

| RD3-score2 = 2

}}

=Finals=

The best of three series would have been played with the Riverkings as home team. However, prior contractual obligations with the Riverkings home ice forced the championship games to be played in Knoxville.

All times are local (EDT)

{{IceHockeybox

| bg = #eeeeee

| date = April 16, 2015

| time = 7:35pm

| team1 = Knoxville

| team2 = Mississippi

| score = 3 – 2

| periods = (1–0, 1–2, 1–0)

| reference = http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=2656392

| goalie1 = Bryan Hince

| goalie2 = Peter Di Salvo

| progression = 1 – 0
2 – 0
2 – 1
2 – 2
3 – 2

| goals1 = Brett Valliquette (Nutkevitch, Paton) - 3:56
Dennis Sicard (Cousineau) - 7:35
Berkley Scott (Price, Salvis) - 4:54

| goals2 = 10:57 - pp - Leo Thomas (Whitehead, Randazzo)
16:48 - pp - Bryon Paulazzo (Harrington, Sobotka)

| official = Mike Sheehan

| official2 = Jeremy Tufts

| linesman = Brent Hooks

| linesman2 = Neil Campbell

| stadium = Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Knoxville, Tennessee

| attendance = 2,412

| penalties1 = 6

| penalties2 = 4

| shots1 = 17

| shots2 = 33

}}

{{IceHockeybox

| bg = #eeffff

| date = April 18, 2015

| time = 7:35pm

| team1 = Mississippi

| team2 = Knoxville

| score = 2 – 4

| periods = (0–1, 1–2, 1–1)

| reference = http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=2656393

| goalie1 = Peter Di Salvo

| goalie2 = Bryan Hince

| progression = 0 – 1
0 – 2
1 – 2
1 – 3
1 – 4
2 – 4

| goals1 = Matt Whitehead (Sobotka) - 11:43
Mike Grace (Harrington) - 19:00

| goals2 = 2:04 - Eric Satim
8:18 - Francis Drolet (Power, Satim)
15:12 - Eric Satim (Power, Drolet)
18:39 - en - Matthew Paton

| official = Mike Sheehan

| official2 = Steve Thomson

| linesman = Brent Hooks

| linesman2 = Neil Campbell

| stadium = Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Knoxville, Tennessee

| attendance = 4,671

| penalties1 = 4

| penalties2 = 8

| shots1 = 38

| shots2 = 18

}}

Awards

The SPHL All-Rookie team was announced on April 1, 2015, the All-SPHL teams on April 2, the Defensemen of the Year on April 3, the Rookie of the Year on April 6, the Goaltender of the Year on April 7, the Coach of the Year on April 8, and the Most Valuable Player on April 9.{{cite web|title=Cottonmouths Lead SPHL All-Rookie Team Selections |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945340 |publisher=Southern Professional Hockey League |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111329/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945340 |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live |date=April 1, 2015 }}{{cite web|title=All-SPHL Second Team Announced |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945836 |publisher=Southern Professional Hockey League |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427143418/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945836 |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live |date=April 2, 2015 }}{{cite web|title=SPHL Announces First Team Selections |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945842 |publisher=Southern Professional Hockey League |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111327/http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4945842 |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live |date=April 2, 2015 }}{{cite news|title=RiverKings' Randazzo is SPHL's top defenseman |url=http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/riverkings-randazzo-is-sphl-s-top-defenseman/article_c60e60a6-da1d-11e4-a0c6-df46e6c26668.html |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=The Fayetteville Observer |date=April 3, 2015 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150420000451/http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/riverkings-randazzo-is-sphl-s-top-defenseman/article_c60e60a6-da1d-11e4-a0c6-df46e6c26668.html |archivedate=April 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=Williamson SPHL's top rookie; FireAntz share RU in balloting |url=http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/williamson-sphl-s-top-rookie-fireantz-share-ru-in-balloting/article_7073b086-dc86-11e4-813a-7b37cd74f689.html |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=The Fayetteville Observer |date=April 6, 2015 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150420000452/http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/williamson-sphl-s-top-rookie-fireantz-share-ru-in-balloting/article_7073b086-dc86-11e4-813a-7b37cd74f689.html |archivedate=April 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last1=Eminian |first1=Dave |title=Rivermen's Rank repeats as SPHL Goaltender of the Year |url=http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150407/SPORTS/150409399/11130/SPORTS |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=Journal Star |publisher=Gatehouse Media, Inc. |date=April 7, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427142848/http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150407/SPORTS/150409399/11130/SPORTS |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live |location=Peoria, IL }}{{cite news|last1=Eminian |first1=Dave |title=Rivermen's Trudel is SPHL Coach of the Year |url=http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150408/SPORTS/150409228/11130/SPORTS |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=Journal Star |publisher=Gatehouse Media, Inc. |date=April 8, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427143017/http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150408/SPORTS/150409228/11130/SPORTS |archivedate=April 27, 2015 |url-status=live |location=Peoria, IL }}{{cite news|title=Cottonmouths' Gingera chosen SPHL MVP |url=http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/cottonmouths-gingera-chosen-sphl-mvp/article_c69e6b98-deea-11e4-8f7e-970a0ae76516.html |accessdate=April 19, 2015 |work=The Fayetteville Observer |date=April 9, 2015 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150420000455/http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/hockey/cottonmouths-gingera-chosen-sphl-mvp/article_c69e6b98-deea-11e4-8f7e-970a0ae76516.html |archivedate=April 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}

Award	Recipient(s)	Finalists
class="wikitable" \|+ 2014–15 SPHL awards
President's Cup	Knoxville Ice Bears	Mississippi RiverKings
William B. Coffey Trophy (Best regular-season record)	Peoria Rivermen
Easton Defenseman of the Year	Andrew Randazzo (Mississippi)	Louis Belisle (Columbus)
Easton Rookie of the Year	Bryce Williamson (Columbus)	Kevin Murdock (Fayetteville) Trevor Hertz (Fayetteville)
Sher-Wood Goaltender of the Year	Kyle Rank (Peoria)	Peter Di Salvo (Mississippi)
Easton Coach of the Year	Jean-Guy Trudel (Peoria)	Derek Landmesser (Mississippi)
Easton Most Valuable Player	Matt Gingera (Columbus)	Adam Pawlick (Pensacola)
Kevin Swider Leading Scorer Award	Adam Pawlick (Pensacola)

=All-SPHL selections=

class="wikitable"
Position	First Team	Second Team	All-Rookie
align=center \| G \|Kyle Rank (Peoria) \|Peter Di Salvo (Mississippi) \|Kevin Murdock (Knoxville)
align=center \| D \|Louis Bélisle (Columbus) \|Stuart Stefan (Huntsville) \|Louis Bélisle (Columbus)
align=center \| D \|Andrew Randazzo (Mississippi) \|Jan Safar (Fayetteville) \|Robbie Donahoe (Knoxville)
align=center \| F \|Matt Whitehead (Mississippi) \|Ryan Salvis (Knoxville) \|Linden Bahm (Mississippi)
align=center \| F \|Adam Pawlick (Pensacola) \|Corey Banfield (Pensacola) \|Shawn Bates (Columbus)
align=center \| F \|Matt Gingera (Columbus) \|Bryce Williamson (Columbus) \|Bryce Williamson (Columbus)

class="wikitable"

Position

First Team

Second Team

All-Rookie

align=center | G

|Kyle Rank (Peoria)

|Peter Di Salvo (Mississippi)

|Kevin Murdock (Knoxville)

align=center | D

|Louis Bélisle (Columbus)

|Stuart Stefan (Huntsville)