SPHL Knoxville Ice Bears

Bears Back Home, but Can't Grab a Win

December 15, 2018 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release


Knoxville, TN Colin Murray scored the game-winning goal at 5:15 of the third and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs defeated the Knoxville Ice Bears 3-2 at the Civic Coliseum on Friday night.

Murray won a puck battle on the left half board and slipped the rubber past Michael Santaguida at 5:15 of the third.

With 20 seconds left in the game, the puck redirected right on Lucas Bombardier's stick below the left circle, but his quick shot was denied by a diving Jacob Caffrey to preserve the win for Roanoke.

Knoxville's Marcus Ortiz was dismissed from the contest after receiving a game misconduct at 6:10 of the first for boarding Roanoke's Jordan Carvalho. During the ensuing five-minute major Joe Tolles was whistled for delay of game and the Ice Bears killed off the 5-on-3 before closing out the major.

After the teams traded minors late in the period Roanoke closed out the first with a pair of 4-on-4 goals from Nate O'Brien and Mac Jansen to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

O'Brien received the puck down the slot from Carvalho on the left wall and lifted a wrist shot over Michael Santaguida at 18:56. Jansen took the puck down the left side and scored top shelf right as the horn sounded to end the first.

The Ice Bears rallied to tie the game before the second intermission with a pair of power play goals. Scott Cuthrell found Bombardier in front of the Roanoke net for the latter's eighth goal of the season at 12:43. Danny Cesarz blasted a one-timer on a 5-on-3 past the right side of Caffrey at 14:53 to tie the score.

Cesarz nearly gave Knoxville the lead moments later, but his slap shot from the circle rang off the left post. Liam Kerins finished with a pair of assists for the Ice Bears.

The Ice Bears stay in Knoxville to host Quad City on Saturday for their first installment of Wiener Dog Races. Watch as over 70 dogs compete for the opportunity to be crowned champion. The game is sponsored by Pet Supplies Plus and Food City.




SPHL Stories from December 15, 2018


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