The Auburn-Alabama Football fan feud is one of both viciousness and camaraderie. Much, I am led to believe, like the bickering of siblings. It is mostly good clean fun…mostly. Regardless of which of our football teams you cheer for during the season, or lament the dragging days of their off-season their is no denying the importance of sports in regard to southern culture. While those are our two most recognizable teams in the state, we in the Rocket City have another team: The Huntsville Havoc. Hockey is not the most obvious choice in the south. It’s hot pretty much all off the time, and ours is more commonly a warm Christmas than a white Christmas, but that is what makes the Huntsville Havoc such an exciting experience. There are not many place in Alabama, or the South as a whole, that you can see an Ice-Hockey game, but Huntsville is lucky enough to have our very own team.

The Team

Hosting games in Huntsville’s entertainment hub, The Von Braun Center, the Havoc are part of the Southern Professional Hockey League. The team has been playing since 2004 with players from both Canada and America. The Havoc are currently ranked 5th in the SPHL with 10 wins and only 5 losses. Sy Nutkevitch, a center for The Havoc is also ranked 5th in player rankings for the entire SPHL. With stats like those, it’s easy to see why hockey is becoming increasingly popular in Huntsville.

Team Philanthropy

Hockey is famous for being a brutal, full-contact sport made up of tough “goons" who would just as soon headbutt an opponent as win a match. With that being the conventional wisdom you might find it surprising that The Havoc are heavily involved in multiple charities including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund, World of Work, and Light the Lamp Foundation.

Going to a Game

If you would like to go to a game the teams has multiple offerings on the Huntsville Havoc website.  You can opt for single game tickets ranging from $12-$28. You can also buy season tickets so that you never miss a moment of the action. Season tickets include a ton of perks and savings. You can purchase the “Full Season Package” with all 28 home games plus the playoff and preseason games with prices ranging from $252-$560 depending on area and seating preference. The “Half Season Package” includes 14 home games at the VBC with prices ranging from $140-$322.

By: Josh Holland

Josh Holland is a writer who currently studies writing and literature at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Previously, Josh attended the University of North Alabama in Florence where he also studied writing. While attending UNA, Josh had articles published in both SET Magazine and The Flor-Ala. Josh was also published in the UNA Lights and Shadows Literary Arts Magazine, which focuses on fiction. Josh has experience as a video editor, and often writes scripts for online, text-based video content.