For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Shawn Kennedy scored in overtime for Birmingham and the Knoxville Ice Bears fell to the visiting Bulls 4-3 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
Kennedy scored the game-winning goal when he picked up a loose puck in the zone and swept across the front of the crease before tapping a backhand past Stephen Mundinger.
Kyren Gronick collected the puck in the Knoxville zone and made a move to create some space for himself before scoring at 7:13 to put the Bulls out in front.
Cam Tobey tied the game for Knoxville with a wrist shot from the left point that found its way inside the far post at 9:17. Eric Olson won a wall battle behind the net and slipped the puck to Nick Cafarelli. Cafarelli exchanged with Tobey at the point and Tobey flicked a frozen rope past Jacob Mucitelli for his first of the year.
Tyler Williams snapped a shot from the left circle past Mucitelli’s glove to give Knoxville its first lead of the night. Jimmy Soper’s cross-ice pass hit a shin pad in the slot and deflected to Williams on the left wing. Williams carried into the circle before zipping a shot to the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Blake Tosto netted his fourth goal with a backhand from in front of the crease with 31 seconds left in the first period. Brayden Stannard muscled his way up the left wing and fired a backhand pass to the tape of Tosto in the slot. Tosto’s finish beat Mucitelli’s blocker to make it 3-1 at the intermission.
Birmingham scored the only goal of the second period when Arkhip Ledziankou found his brother Filimon in the slot and the latter beat Mundinger low at 12:53.
Connor Scahill scored off a cross-ice pass with less than three minutes remaining in the third to force overtime.
Knoxville is off on Saturday and will host Roanoke Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. Birmingham is at Huntsville Sunday.
ABOUT The Knoxville Ice Bears: The Knoxville Ice Bears organization began in 2002 and was an inaugural charter member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) in 2004. As four-time SPHL Champions and five-time regular season champions, the Ice Bears are an experienced and established organization, offering the city and its visitors a balanced product of highlight-reel hockey, unique and exciting intermission activity and endless fan interaction, presenting the most affordable, family-friendly way to enjoy sports and entertainment. Season, Partial Season and Flex Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit www.knoxvilleicebears.com or call (865) 525-7825.
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