For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Justin MacDonald had two goals and an assist, Bailey MacBurnie made 31 saves and the Knoxville Ice Bears defeated the Birmingham Bulls 6-3 in front of a sold out crowd at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
Dino Balsamo had a goal and two assists for the Ice Bears, who have won five of their last six. Cam Hough had a goal and an assist and Razmuz Waxin-Engback had two assists for Knoxville.
Balsamo tapped in a loose puck in the crease to put the Ice Bears ahead at 4:33 of the first. Waxin-Engback shot the puck from the high slot, Cole McKechney deflected it in front and Austin Lotz got a piece of it before it bounced behind him in the blue ice. Balsamo located the puck and put it on the open net for his 15th of the season.
MacDonald doubled Knoxville’s lead on the power play before the first intermission. Balsamo skated with the puck in the left circle and slid a cross-ice pass to MacDonald, who fired a one-timer past Lotz to make it 2-0 at 12:09.
Birmingham got on the board when Troy MacTavish slid the puck underneath MacBurnie on the rebound at 1:18 of the second.
Hough put Knoxville back in front by a pair with his 11th goal of the season at 13:37. With Knoxville on the power play, MacDonald carried the puck through the neutral zone and made an entry pass to Waxin-Engback on the right wing. Waxin-Engback centered the puck to Hough, who skated towards the right circle and lifted a wrist shot over Lotz.
Mike Davis responded quickly for Birmingham with a power play goal from in front of the crease less than two minutes later.
MacDonald scored his second of the night shorthanded with just over two minutes remaining in the second. Birmingham’s power play unit cycled the puck around the boards to the right wing. Balsamo stole the puck and broke out for a two-on-one. He made a saucer pass to MacDonald, who got behind the defense and beat Lotz up high from the right hash for his 25th goal of the season.
Bailey Conger put Knoxville ahead 5-2 when Hough found him at the right hash from the right-wing corner. Brett Ouderkirk kept the puck in the zone along the wall, slid it deep to Hough, who set up Conger with space between the circles for the goal at 8:21 of the third.
MacTavish scored his second of the night with a shot from the slot less than a minute later to cut the deficit to two again. Tanner Salsberry scored on the empty net to cap off the scoring with under a minute remaining.
Knoxville hosts Macon on Saturday night. Birmingham heads to Huntsville to Saturday and will travel to Macon on Sunday.
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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