For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Dawson McKinney scored at 2:48 of the overtime period and the Knoxville Ice Bears rallied for a 3-2 win over the Macon Mayhem at the Macon Coliseum Saturday night.
The Ice Bears have won three straight and five of their last six. Macon has dropped six straight.
Macon carried the puck into the zone for a two-on-one, but Jason Price forced the puck into the corner before it was worked up the left wing to McKinney. McKinney charged through the neutral zone to create an odd-man rush. He skated into the left circle and fired a wrist shot that beat Josh Boyko for his first professional goal.
The Ice Bears tied the game in the third period when Cole McKechney scored on the power play at 1:18. McKinney held the puck on the left side and slipped it to the short side of the crease to McKechney, who slid out in front and snuck the puck behind Boyko for his first of the season.
After a scoreless first period, Tyler Rollo capitalized on the power play by putting in a rebound 1:03 into the second. Jordy Stallard shot the puck from the right circle and it bounced off Boyko. Justin Levac knocked it loose before Rollo finished the play for his second of the season.
Macon tied the game with a power play goal by Michael McChesney at 7:32. The Mayhem took the lead into the second intermission when Alex Cohen redirected a shot in the slot at 18:04.
The Mayhem had several high-quality chances to retake the lead in the third period, but Cody Karpinski anchored Knoxville’s comeback hopes by stopping all 14 shots he faced in the period. He snatched a wrist shot from the slot by Alex Laplante with the glove, denied David Nippard on a breakaway and kicked away a chance from in front with less than two minutes remaining.
In overtime, Macon had a two-on-one where a shot from the right circle bounced off Karpinski and came to the weak side, but Karpinski stopped the rebound attempt and covered the puck. Karpinski
finished with 39 saves. Boyko made 32 stops for Macon.
Knoxville is off until Dec. 8 when it returns to Macon for a two-game weekend in Georgia. The Mayhem remain home and face Pensacola on Sunday 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.
-xxx-