For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Simon Boyko scored twice, Ryan Kenny made 26 saves and the Knoxville Ice Bears dropped a 5-2 decision to Fayetteville on the road at Crown Coliseum Saturday night.
Knoxville has lost four straight games. Fayetteville has won its last three.
Boyko notched the lone goal of the opening period on the power play by scoring from the right circle. Fayetteville entered the zone from center ice and Boyko received the puck in stride moving through the right dot. He beat Zane Steeves down low at 5:53 to give the Marksmen the lead at the first intermission.
Dalton Hunter scored a shorthanded goal at 4:38 to make it 2-0. He blocked Dawson McKinney’s pass at the blue line and carried the puck up the right wing. He made his way through the right circle, dangled the puck between Troy Murray’s skates and fired a wrist shot past Steeves’ glove.
Boyko scored his second of the night three minutes later when he intercepted a pass in the zone, broke out for a three-on-two and toe dragged his way to the right hash before his shot got over Steeves’ blocker at 7:57.
Tyler Kobryn scored at 15:26 to make it 4-0 at the second intermission. Tyler Barrow poked the puck up the left wing to force a two-on-one. Tyson Gilmour carried the puck into the zone before lifting a saucer pass to Kobryn in the slot. Kobryn’s backhand found the net for his 14th of the season.
Knoxville had a handful of chances in the second period, but Kenny kept the Ice Bears off the board through 40. He slid across to stop Davis Kirkendall’s one-timer from close range, caught Dawson McKinney’s attempt from the left circle with the glove and blocked Brendan Dowler’s wrister from the slot.
Jordan Timmons converted a power play for the Marksmen at 8:37 of the third. Gilmour found him from circle-to-circle at the left dot and his shot beat Steeves to the short-side post.
Derek Osik got Knoxville on the board with his fourth goal of the weekend at 11:07. Osik received the puck at center ice from Murray, evaded two Marksmen skaters and made his way to the front of the crease. He was tripped by a Fayetteville stick and managed to lift a backhand over Kenny as he was falling down for his 12th of the season.
Davis Kirkendall wrapped up the scoring detail by tapping in his own rebound at 16:16. Brendan Dowler shot the puck from the right point and Kirkendall got his stick on it. The initial redirect was stopped by Kenny, but the puck sat in the crease and Kirkendall pounced on it to finish with a two-point night.
Steeves finished with 34 saves for Knoxville.
Knoxville visits Huntsville on Friday night. Fayetteville heads to Birmingham 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.
-xxx-