Ice Bears Shutout Macon 2-0
February 9, 2016 - SPHL (SPHL) - Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Knoxville, TN - Brian Billet stopped all 21 shots he faced for his first career pro shutout and the Knoxville Ice Bears beat the Macon Mayhem for the fifth time in six games this year 2-0 Tuesday night. Knoxville has won eight of their last 11 games.
It's the first shutout of the season for Knoxville. The Mayhem were 0-for-4 on the power play.
Knoxville struck first when Doug Reid poked the puck through the neutral zone to Mark Pustin to force a two-on-one. Pustin carried the puck through the left circle and fired a wrist shot over the left shoulder of Macon's Garrett Bartus at 3:01 of the first. It was Pustin's first goal as an Ice Bear. The rookie was acquired in a trade with Mississippi for Todd Hosmer in January.
Macon's best chance in the opening period came late when a wide open Dustin Skinner received a crossing pass in front of the crease. Billet slid from right to left across the goal mouth to deflect the shot wide and keep the score at 1-0 heading into the dressing room after the first.
In the second period Knoxville's best chance came when Garrett Vermeersch took the puck in space down the right circle, but his shot landed right into the chest of Bartus. The Mayhem's best look was late in the period when a shot from the point was redirected off the stick of Macon's Shawn Skelly, but glanced off the paddle of Billet's stick. Dennis Sicard added an empty net goal with 16 seconds left in the third period.
Knoxville will travel on Friday to Fayetteville before hosting the FireAntz on Saturday for a home-and-home. Macon is off until Sunday when it travels to Huntsville.
The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) on Tuesday announced Garrett Vermeersch of the Knoxville Ice Bears is the Easton Player of the Week for February 1-7.
Vermeersch scored five goals, including two with the man advantage, and added an assist as the Ice Bears won two of three games last week.
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SPHL Stories from February 9, 2016
- Knoxville Edges Mayhem - Macon Mayhem
- Ice Bears Shutout Macon 2-0 - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Knoxville's Garrett Vermeersch Named Easton Player of the Week - SPHL
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