For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
The Knoxville Ice Bears overcame a three-goal deficit to force overtime, but fell in the extra period 5-4 to Birmingham at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Sunday.
Knoxville is now 4-1-1 in its last six games. Birmingham won the game when Trevor Thurston had a rebound go off of his skate and into the net behind Stephen Mundinger. The Ice Bears tried to claim Thurston kicked the puck into the net, but referee Derek Kalisz ruled the play a good goal and the call stood.
Drake Glover and Taylor Brierly scored 18 seconds apart halfway through the first period to open up a 2-0 lead for the Bulls. Troy MacTavish scored from the left hash at 18:42 to make it 3-0.
Dalton Skelly got Knoxville on the board before the break with his ninth goal of the season. Cam Tobey’s shot from the right point was blocked and deflected to Skelly on the left side. He skated to the left circle and blasted the puck over Austin Lotz’s left shoulder with nine seconds remaining in the period.
Dawson McKinney got Knoxville closer with a redirect off of Skelly’s point shot at 10:49 of the second. Carson Vance tied the game at 12:03 off a rebound from the right side of the crease. Jimmy Soper threw the puck to the slot where it deflected to Mitch Atkins in the left circle. Lotz kicked Atkins’ initial shot attempt and the rebound came right to Vance for his sixth of the season.
The Ice Bears grabbed their first lead of the game with Cam Tobey’s shot from the right point. Brayden Stannard zipped the puck to Tobey from the left corner and Tobey shot the puck through a Soper screen and beat Lotz to his blocker side at 16:30 to give Knoxville the advantage at the second intermission.
Nikita Kozyrev tied the game for Birmingham 1:09 into the third period. The Ice Bears killed off a Bulls power play in the third period and another one late that overlapped into the overtime period. Mundinger finished with 37 saves. Lotz made 23 stops for Birmingham.
Knoxville heads to Quad City Friday night. The Bulls are at Roanoke 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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