For immediate release

For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825,  joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.

Anthony McVeigh has eight points in his last three games. PHOTO: Daniel Moore.

The Southern Professional Hockey League has announced Knoxville center Anthony McVeigh as the SPHL Player of the Week. McVeigh scored five goals and had three assists for an eight-point week in three games as the Ice Bears went 2-0-1 last week with all three games being played on the road.

McVeigh opened the week with a three-point night against Huntsville on Wednesday. He scored a shorthanded goal to open the second period before adding two assists in Knoxville’s shootout loss to the Havoc.

He followed that performance up with a goal and an assist in Knoxville’s win over Evansville on Friday. McVeigh scored on a redirect in the first period before assisting on Andrew Bellant’s game-winning goal in the third period as the Ice Bears beat the Thunderbolts 4-1.

“It’s been a solid week. Honestly, my line’s just really clicking right now,” McVeigh said before Saturday’s win in Macon. “Playing with Bellant and Dino [Balsamo] has been really good and they’re really good forwards. They’ve been creating opportunities for me to score. I think, as a line, we’re playing really well right now.”

McVeigh then scored his first career hat trick against the Mayhem. He scored once in each period. He landed a wrist shot in the first period, scored from in front of the crease in the second and redirected a Kyler Matthews shot from the point in the third to put the exclamation point on Knoxville’s 9-0 win Saturday night. The third goal was also his 100th career point in the SPHL.

The Kemptville, Ont. native is in his fourth season playing for the Ice Bears. In ten games this season, he has four goals and six assists for ten points.

The Ice Bears next face the Vermilion County Bobcats in a home-and-home series this weekend. The two teams will play at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night before heading up to Danville on Saturday.

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, 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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