Ice Bears Come up Short in Low-Scoring Battle
Published on November 7, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Nick Cafarelli scored his first career goal and Stephen Mundinger made 31 saves, but the Knoxville Ice Bears couldn't draw even in the third period as Knoxville fell 2-1 to the Pensacola Ice Flyers at the Civic Coliseum Friday.
Tyler German opened the scoring for Pensacola when he stole the puck in the slot and lifted a wrist shot over Mundinger's blocker at 8:33 of the first.
Mundinger kept Knoxville close through the first 20 minutes. He turned aside a point blank shot from Shane Bull in front of the crease, slid across the blue ice to block Cam Gaudette's attempt from a cross-ice feed and denied Lukas Jirousek's shot from in front.
Rico DiMatteo stopped all 15 Knoxville shots in the opening period, most notably a sweeping backhand by Noah Finstrom with his right pad and Jason Brancheau's wrister from the right circle found DiMatteo's glove.
Cafarelli tied the game for Knoxville when he snuck behind the defense and Noah Finstrom got the puck to him at the blue line. Cafarelli accelerated through the left circle and beat DiMatteo down low at 5:28 of the second for his first career goal. DiMatteo finished with 31 saves.
German scored at 8:17 to give the Ice Flyers a 2-1 lead at the second intermission. Gaudette fired a pass up the right wing to German, who was already behind the defense. German skated to the right circle and beat Mundinger up high on his glove side.
The two teams will face off again tomorrow night in Knoxville.
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