For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Knoxville nearly completed a third period rally, but missed out on a couple of chances down the stretch in a 3-1 loss to the Peoria Rivermen at the Peoria Civic Center Sunday afternoon.
Andrew Kurapov scored his third goal of the weekend with a power play strike at 11:40 of the third to cut a two-goal deficit to one. Tyler Williams won a wall battle on the left wing and got the puck to Jason Brancheau. Brancheau worked the puck to Kyle Soper at the point before it was centered to Kurapov. Kurapov fired a drag shot past the blocker of Jack Bostedt for his seventh of the year.
Peoria took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission when Khaden Henry knocked down a breakout pass by Noah Giesbrecht and poked the loose puck into the net at 3:47.
Knoxville nearly tied the game on multiple occasions before the break, but Bostedt stopped Ryan Kuzmich’s power play chance from the left circle and Kuzmich later hit the crossbar from the opposite circle on the same power play. Colin Tracy’s blast from the point snuck underneath Bostedt’s blocker, but fluttered just wide of the left post.
Dylan Massie stole the puck in the Knoxville zone off a missed breakout pass and found Henry in the right circle, where he scored his second of the night at 14:07.
Knoxville nearly tied the game with an offensive surge after Kurapov’s goal, but Jarret Kup’s shot from the high slot hit the post and Jimmy Soper had a backdoor tap-in hit the outside of the post and bounce out to the slot. Kuzmich had a look in transition from the left circle, but his wrist shot went wide of the far-side iron.
Brayden Barker scored an empty net goal late in the third to conclude the scoring. Giesbrecht made 31 saves. Bostedt stopped 29 shots for Peoria.
Knoxville returns home to face Macon on Thursday. Peoria heads to Birmingham on Friday.
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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