For immediate release

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

Cole McKechney scored in Friday’s loss to Birmingham. PHOTO: Michael King.

Drake Glover scored twice and the Knoxville Ice Bears fell to the Birmingham Bulls 4-2 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.

The loss snapped a five-game win streak for Knoxville. The Bulls are 6-0-3 in their last nine games.

The Ice Bears took the lead into the first intermission when Troy Murray scored right before the end of the period with a wrist shot from the blue line. Murray took the puck from behind his own net and carried it up the right side. He weaved his way back to center ice and released a shot as he entered the zone that beat Drennon Atherton with less than a second remaining.

Birmingham tied the game early in the second when Glover blasted a one-timer past Troy Kobryn from the right circle. The Bulls took the lead midway through the period when MacGregor Sinclair punched the puck over Kobryn from the slot.

Glover netted his second to make it 3-1 with less than three minutes remaining in the third when he stole the puck from Davis Kirkendall in the neutral zone and turned it into a three-on-one. Glover finished off the rush with a give-and-go for his 14th of the year.

Matt Wiesner made it 4-1 with an empty net goal at 18:07 and Cole McKechney got one back for Knoxville with a redirect at 18:49 to cap off the scoring.

Kobryn made 26 saves in his Ice Bears debut. Atherton made 12 stops for Birmingham.

Knoxville continues its current homestead against Quad City on Saturday. Birmingham visits Huntsville tomorrow.

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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