For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Myles Abbate and Brendan Harrogate scored in the shootout and the Knoxville Ice Bears fell to the Evansville Thunderbolts 2-1 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
The Ice Bears have lost ten straight and are 0-7-3 in that span. Evansville has points in 12 of its last 16 games.
After a scoreless overtime Abbate opened up the shootout by skating into the slot and splitting Marco Costantini’s pads to put the Thunderbolts up by one. Harrogate lifted a backhand into the net on Evansville’s next attempt to provide the only scoring of the shootout.
Cole Ceci stopped attempts by Tyler Rollo, Rex Moe, Logan Coomes and Kirill Nizhnikov. Ceci finished the night with 28 saves for his 10th win of the season.
Neither team could capitalize on chances in the first period. Coomes had a breakaway stopped by Ceci before another chance from the right circle was kicked away as well. Rollo had the puck in front off the rush, but Ceci stopped the attempt with his right pad. Matt Dorsey missed a chance from the slot for Evansville and the Thunderbolts didn’t score on two power play chances before the intermission.
Moe scored the only goal of the second period when Joshua Karlsson found him on a long pass into the neutral zone. Moe fielded the pass and managed to fend off a stick lift from Hayden Ford before getting a shot off that split Ceci’s pads at 3:22.
Moe nearly gave Knoxville a 2-0 lead, but his wrist shot from the right hash hit the crossbar and stayed out. Coomes had a wrist shot from the left circle that got through Ceci, but trickled wide of the net. The Thunderbolts had their best chances in the second with an early breakaway that was stopped by Costantini and Dmitry Yushkevich’s shot from the left point hit the post.
Vadim Vasjonkin tied the game early in the third with a wrist shot from the left hash that beat Costantini up high. Knoxville had three power play attempts in the third period, but failed to convert. Costantini finished with 26 saves.
The two teams will square off again Saturday night at the Coliseum.
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-