For immediate release

For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825,  joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.

The Knoxville Ice Bears mounted a comeback attempt in the third period, but couldn’t close the gap as the Ice Bears fell to the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs 4-3 at the Berglund Center Saturday night.

Dalton Skelly had a goal and two assists for Knoxville, which has lost its last two games. Roanoke has won four straight.

Bryce Martin knocked in a loose puck from the right hash at 5:17 to give Roanoke an early lead. Gustav Müller made it 2-0 by redirecting Owen McDade’s shot from the high slot at 13:17.

Knoxville cut the deficit in half with 29 seconds remaining in the first period with Jimmy Soper’s one-timer on the backdoor. Brayden Stannard and Mitch Atkins worked to keep the puck in the zone on the forecheck and Skelly carried it to the left half-wall before rifling a pass across to the right side of the crease where Soper was waiting for it to slap in his fifth goal of the year.

Nick Ford added to Roanoke’s lead with a shorthanded goal at 4:25 of the second. Knoxville failed to get the puck out of its own zone on the power play and the puck was thrown deep behind the Knoxville net where Ford skated out in front of the crease and scored his sixth goal of the season. A defensive zone turnover led to Jacob Kelly getting open in the slot and making it 4-1 at 10:40.

Knoxville had multiple chances to inch closer in the second period, but Derek Osik and Jason Brancheau were both stopped by Austyn Roudebush from in front of the crease and Brancheau had an attempt blocked by Brendan Pepe off the goal line. Daryk Dubé-Plouffe missed on a close-range chance from the right side and Roudebush knocked away an attempt by Dawson McKinney.

Skelly scored from the point early in the third to make it 4-2. Dubé-Plouffe scored from the right circle on the power play at 14:40 to give Knoxville a fighting chance late, but Skelly’s last second attempt from the point was blocked by McDade and time expired for the Ice Bears could get another shot away.

Roudebush made 35 saves for the Rail Yard Dawgs. Stephen Mundinger made 13 saves and was relieved by Talor Joseph to start the third period. Joseph stopped all ten shots he faced.

Knoxville visits Birmingham on Thursday. The Rail Yard Dawgs head to Evansville Friday 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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