For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Stephen Mundinger made 30 saves for his first shutout as an Ice Bear and Knoxville defeated the Evansville Thunderbolts 4-0 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
It’s Mundinger’s fourth career shutout. Cole Ceci made 29 saves for Evansville.
Dalton Skelly lifted a wrist shot top shelf over Ceci to put the Ice Bears in front at 14:41 of the opening period. Daryk Dubé-Plouffe took the puck in the right corner and fed it to Skelly in the right circle to get Knoxville on the board.
Cam Tobey scored his third goal of the season 21 seconds later with a bomb from the high slot. Brayden Stannard lifted the puck up the left wing to Jason Brancheau, who knocked it down with his glove and carried it into the left circle. He peeled back to the perimeter and slid the puck to Tobey, who teed off on it and blasted it through Ceci.
Eric Olson redirected a slap shot by Carson Vance to make it 3-0 at 18:59. With Knoxville on the power play, Vance shot the puck from the blue line. Olson got a piece of it in the slot and it deflected past Ceci’s right pad for Olson’s second of the season.
Mitch Atkins scored off a rebound to make it 4-0 at 13:04 of the third. Derek Osik slipped the puck to the right circle for Tyler Williams. Williams swept across the crease for a backhand shot that Ceci kicked out to a crashing Atkins, who put the puck back on the empty net for his sixth of the year.
The Ice Bears and Thunderbolts will matchup again Saturday night at the Civic Coliseum.
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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