For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
Stephen Mundinger made 40 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, Jimmy Soper scored the game’s only goal and the Knoxville Ice Bears defeated the Pensacola Ice Flyers 1-0 at the Pensacola Bay Center Friday night.
Pensacola claimed the first major scoring chance of the game when Dawson Sciarrino took a pass up the wing for a breakaway, Stephen Mundinger managed to get a piece of the puck as Sciarrino tried to make his way around the Knoxville netminder. Mundinger also got a piece of Cam Gaudette’s shot on a two-on-one and then dove back behind him to cover the loose puck as it skipped in the crease.
At the other end, Tyler Williams had an odd-man rush for Knoxville, but Billy Girard stopped Williams’ shot from the right circle and blocked the rebound chance as well. Jimmy Soper found Jarret Kup with a saucer pass to the high slot. Kup’s shot attempt made it through Girard’s blocker side, but the Pensacola goalie got enough of it to force the puck wide of the left post and the game remained scoreless at the first intermission.
Jimmy Soper scored to provide the only goal through 40 minutes when he received a cross-ice pass from newcomer Tim Kent in the left circle and fired a wrist shot past Girard at 12:31 for his fifth of the year.
Mundinger preserved Knoxville’s lead through the rest of the second with a breakaway save against Tyrone Bronte. He blocked a point-blank shot off a slip pass from behind the net and held onto Mike Moran’s drag shot from the left dot.
Pensacola had chances to tie the game in the third, getting a two-man advantage power play late in the period, but Mundinger held onto a point blast from Cooper Jones and snagged Andrew Poulias’ snap shot with the glove. He continued to keep Knoxville in front despite the Ice Bears being outshot 14-1 in the third period.
The two teams will face off again at the Bay Center Saturday night to wrap up the weekend.
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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