For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Ryan Kuzmich scored at 7:11 of the third period to put Knoxville ahead for good, Stephen Mundinger made 47 saves and the Ice Bears completed a first round sweep of the Huntsville Havoc with a 4-2 win in game two of the best-of-three series at the Von Braun Center Saturday night.
The Ice Bears will face the regular season champion Peoria Rivermen in the President’s Cup semifinals.
Knoxville’s forecheck kept the puck in the zone. Carson Vance sent the puck down into the trapezoid to Mitch Atkins. Atkins found Kuzmich in the right circle and his snapshot beat Brian Wilson far side to make it 3-2.
Huntsville pulled Wilson to get the extra attacker on in the final minute. Knoxville stole the puck and lifted it out of the zone and Jimmy Soper raced down and scored on the empty net with 26 seconds remaining to seal the series.
Cole Reginato scored for Huntsville 55 seconds into the game off his own rebound. Dawson Sciarrino intercepted a breakout pass and centered the puck to Reginato. Mundinger stopped Reginato’s first attempt, but the puck bounced back to the Havoc forward, who put it back on net to make it 1-0.
Knoxville tied the game with a deflection by Soper at 6:33. Carson Vance forced the puck free on the forecheck and Ryan Kuzmich shot it from the right point. Soper was at the net front and got his stick on the shot to redirect it past Wilson. Wilson made 26 saves for Huntsville.
Josh Kestner stole the puck in the Knoxville zone and got loose for a breakaway. Tim Faulkner tripped Kestner to prevent the scoring chance and Huntsville was awarded a penalty shot. Kestner scored from the slot to give the Havoc a 2-1 lead at the first intermission.
Blake Tosto tied the game for Knoxville with 27 seconds left in the second period. With the Ice Bears on the power play, Jason Brancheau had his shot from the right circle blocked. He kept the play alive and fed a pass to Jared Westcott behind the net. Westcott found Tim Kent at the right hash and Kent snuck a pass across to the left side for Tosto’s one-timer.
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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