Ice Bears Edge Dawgs in Goaltenders Duel at Home
Published on October 31, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Tyler Williams scored twice in the final three minutes to break a scoreless tie, Stephen Mundinger stopped all 38 shots he faced and the Knoxville Ice Bears shutout the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs 2-0 at UT Federal Credit Union Home Ice at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
With both goalies putting on a show throughout the night, Andrew Kurapov poke-checked the puck free into the right circle in the Roanoke zone for Jimmy Soper, who carried to the right side of the crease before dropping the puck back to Williams in the slot. Williams' one-timer found the net for the first score of the night at 17:48 of the third.
Williams stole the puck from Trey Fechko at the blue line and sent a shot into an empty Roanoke net to ice the game with seven seconds remaining.
Both teams had chances in the first period, but couldn't open the scoring detail. Kurapov missed a chance from the right circle, Soper's wrist shot from the slot was stopped by Austyn Roudebush and Noah Finstrom missed the short side post from the left circle.
At the other end, Mundinger stopped Trey Fechko on a breakaway and blocked the ensuing follow up attempt by C.J. Valerian after Cam Tobey cleared the puck out of the crease. Munderinger then kicked away Marcus Fechko's point blank shot off the side of the crease and made a glove save on Matt O'Dea's wrist shot from the high slot.
The stellar goaltending continued through the second period. Mundinger kicked away Travis Broughman's shot from in front of the crease and held onto Valerian's wrist shot from the right circle. He later kicked away Trey Fechko's close range attempt off the left side of the crease to help Knoxville kill off the only Roanoke power play of the period.
Roudebush made a glove save to deny Kurapov from in front of the crease and flashed the leather again to trap Tyler Williams' one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Soper while the Ice Bears were shorthanded. Troy Button's shot from atop the right circle hit the nub of Roudebush's stick and deflected wide.
Knoxville visits Birmingham on Saturday. The Rail Yard Dawgs travel to Fayetteville to face the Marksmen Saturday and Sunday.
SPHL Stories from October 31, 2025
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