For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Knoxville rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime to claim a point, but the Ice Bears fell to Huntsville in a shootout 4-3 at the Von Braun Center in Alabama Saturday night.
Ryan Kuzmich started Knoxville’s rally at 1:40 of the third period with a wrist shot from the high slot that zipped by Brian Wilson’s blocker for his 11th of the season. With Knoxville on the 5-on-3, Derek Osik won a face-off back to Blake Tosto, who swept it to Kuzmich. Kuzmich connected just before the first penalty expired to keep the Ice Bears on the man advantage.
Dawson McKinney poked in a loose puck underneath Wilson at 3:15 to cut the deficit to one. Jason Brancheau threw the puck behind the net to Jared Westcott, who pushed it out in front for McKinney to cash in on the power play.
Hlib Varava ripped a shot past Wilson’s blocker from the right circle at 10:55 to tie the game. Jimmy Soper won a wall battle on the left-wing wall and Varava wrestled the puck away at the blue line before putting the puck on net.
Austin Alger scored the only goal in the shootout in the fourth round for the Havoc. Stephen Mundinger made 43 saves, including 17-of-17 in the third period and overtime to give Knoxville a fighting chance down the stretch.
Phil Elgstam scored from the high slot at 9:12 to give Huntsville a 1-0 lead.
Mundinger kept Knoxville within reach in the opening frame with several key saves as the Ice Bears were outshot 18-5. He gloved Matt Allen’s snap shot from the left circle, stopped Josh Kestner’s rush attempt from the right circle, blocked Alger’s try from the right wing as his mask was being knocked off and smothered Alger’s wrist shot with the trapper.
His most impressive work in the first period came on the penalty kill. He fought through a screen to stop a shot from the left point and reached out his blocker to knock down a backhand chance from a sweeping Connor Fries.
Kestner muscled in a rebound after Mundinger blocked a shot from in front of the crease by Frank Trazzera at 2:19 of the second. Trazzera scored off a cross-crease feed at 9:02 to make it 3-0.
The Ice Bears had chances to provide offense through the first two periods, but Troy Button’s wrist shot hit the left post, Jimmy Soper’s look at a shorthanded opportunity sailed over the crossbar, Kuzmich’s rebound chance fluttered high and Tyler Williams’ backdoor shot on the power play was stopped by Wilson. Wilson finished with 35 saves.
Knoxville hosts Pensacola on Friday. The Havoc are in Birmingham Monday afternoon.
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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