For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Billy Roche scored a shorthanded goal to put Knoxville ahead for good late in the second period, Noah Giesbrecht made 43 saves and the Knoxville Ice Bears won their third game in three nights by defeating the Macon Mayhem 2-1 at the Civic Coliseum Friday night.
Knoxville successfully navigated through a busy week, winning three games in a row against three different teams in three different states. They won at Roanoke on Wednesday and Huntsville on Thursday.
Ryan Kuzmich nearly put Knoxville on the board early, but his breakaway chance was thwarted when Josh Boyko made a blocker save on Kuzmich’s backhand. The Ice Bears had chances on the power play late in the first period, but Boyko made a series of saves and Macon’s skaters did their part to block shots to keep the game scoreless after 20.
Alex Cohen provided the game’s first goal and he smacked a rebound into the net off of Giesbrecht’s pad at 5:06 of the second. Michael Krupinski fired a shot from the right point that Giesbrecht kicked to the left wing. Cohen sent the puck back on net and Giesbrecht got a piece of it before it made its way in.
Brayden Stannard tied the game with a power play goal for Knoxville at 8:24. Knoxville worked the puck around the perimeter before Stannard ripped a snapshot from the right circle that went through a Macon skater and past the blocker side of Boyko.
Roche gave Knoxville its first lead of the night with a shorthanded goal with less than three minutes remaining in the period. Kuzmich stole the puck out of the right-wing circle and moved quickly in transition to generate an odd-man rush. Kuzmich fed Roche on the right side and his wrist shot from the right circle zipped over Boyko’s shoulder for Roche’s first goal as an Ice Bear. Boyko finished with 41 saves.
Giesbrecht was steady through the first two periods for Knoxville, denying Cohen from the right circle and holding onto an attempt from Stefan Miklakos off the right-wing wall. He corralled Jake Goldowski’s point-blank attempt from in front of the crease early in the third period.
With Macon pressing to tie the game late, Giesbrecht slid across to his right to stop a short-range one-timer from Conor Witherspoon and later denied a quick shot from center by Matteo Ybarra. Macon managed to force one last opportunity on the rush from the left circle, but Giesbrecht turned it aside with the stick and time expired.
Knoxville is home against Quad City on Thursday. Macon will host the Storm tomorrow night.
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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