For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Davis Kirkendall scored twice, Riley Morris made 43 saves in his Knoxville debut and the Ice Bears defeated the Quad City Storm 4-1 at Vibrant Arena in Moline Saturday night.
Knoxville snapped a 13-game skid with the win. Quad City has dropped six of its last eight.
Knoxville nearly took an early lead less than three minutes in, but Sam Dabrowski’s shot from the left circle hit the post and stayed out. Bailey Brkin stopped chances by Derek Osik and Kirill Nizhnikov later in the period. Morris gloved a one-timer from the left circle during a Quad City power play and held onto an attempt from the right circle through traffic right before the first period expired to keep the game scoreless after 20.
Daryk Dubé-Plouffe gave Knoxville the lead 50 seconds into the second period. Mathieu Boislard fired a shot from the left circle. The puck hit the post and bounced to Dubé-Plouffe in the right circle and he put the rebound back on net for his first career goal.
Kirkendall gave Knoxville a 2-0 lead at 15:42 of the second just moments after Morris stopped an Alex Pommerville one-timer from the right circle. Kirkendall collected the puck behind the net, skated around the right circle and fired a shot wide of the net. Kirill Nizhnikov slipped the rebound off the side of the crease to the backdoor behind Brkin and Kirkendall followed up the play to score on the yawning net.
Leif Mattson cut the deficit in half late in the period when his shot from the blue line was redirected over Morris to make it 2-1 at the second intermission.
Kirkendall scored his second at 4:19 of the third off a rebound into the slot. Zak Lambrecht carried the puck up the right wing and fired from the circle. The shot bounced off of Brkin and Kirkendall sent the rebound back on net for his fifth of the season.
Dabrowski scored on an empty net with 30 seconds remaining to cap off the scoring. Brkin finished with 29 saves for Quad City.
Knoxville returns home to welcome Peoria on Friday. Quad City welcomes Macon on Friday night.
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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