For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Kyle Soper scored twice, including the game-winner with five and a half minutes left in the third, and the Knoxville Ice Bears beat the Huntsville Havoc 4-3 at the Von Braun Center Sunday night for their fifth consecutive win.
Soper put Knoxville ahead for good when he scored from the slot on a two-man advantage at 14:27 of the final period. Dawson McKinney broke his stick on his one-timer from the right circle. Ryan Kuzmich found the loose puck and dished it back to Soper between the circles. Soper lifted his wrist shot past Dysen Skinner’s blocker for his third goal of the year.
Matt Allen put Huntsville ahead with a one-timer from the right circle. Cole Reginato worked up the right-wing corner and slipped the puck to Allen, who beat Connor Green’s glove side at 7:10 of the first.
Soper intercepted a crossing pass in the neutral zone and carried up the left wing. He reached the left circle and waited for a sweeping screen from Tyler Williams. Soper threw the puck through the roadblock and past Dysen Skinner’s blocker to tie the game with just 37 seconds remaining before the break.
Green was tested early and often in net, facing 11 shots in the first ten minutes of the opening period alone. He denied Connor Fries on a breakaway and covered up the rebound before Frank Trazzera could pounce on the loose puck. Green also made a pad save on Cole Golka’s wrist shot from the slot and forced Golka to a sharp angle after the shooter collected his own rebound, resulting in Golka’s second opportunity to hit the near-side post. He also blocked Reginato’s one-timer from in front off a centering feed from the corner.
Dawson McKinney gave Knoxville its first lead of the night when he scored from the right circle at 1:59 of the second. After Jason Brancheau blocked a shot from the right circle by the Havoc, Jared Westcott raced up the left wing with the puck to create a two-on-one. Westcott found McKinney on the right side and his wrist shot found the far post past Skinner’s blocker.
During a 4-on-4 sequence, Carson Vance shot the puck from the left point past the net and off the back wall. The puck bounced out to the right where Ryan Kuzmich threw it underneath Skinner to give the Ice Bears a 3-1 lead at 8:12.
Ethan Lindsay brought the Havoc back to within one when he carried up the middle of the ice and lifted a backhand over Green at 10:47. Fries redirected a shot off the right side of the crease to tie the game with just 25 seconds remaining in the second period.
Knoxville visits Birmingham on Friday. Huntsville heads to Pelham to take on the Bulls 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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