Ice Bears Ground RiverHawks
January 21, 2011 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Knoxville, TN - The Knoxville Ice Bears kicked off their Legends Weekend with a 7-3 win over the Augusta RiverHawks tonight at the Knoxville's Civic Coliseum in front of 3,604 fans. Two goals each from Eric Slais and Frank Furdero and four goals in the third period landed the Ice Bears an exciting win.
SPHL leading defensive scorer Mark Van Vliet scored the first point of the game 1:05 minutes into the first period. Assisted by Chris Bratina and David Segal, the Ice Bears grabbed an early lead. Only ten seconds later Augusta's Matt Auffrey tied the game with an unassisted goal.
The first period ended with fireworks when Knoxville's Brett Valliquette threw a fist at Augusta's Branden Kosolofsky in a short fight on the ice. At the next buzzer Ice Bear Tyler Fletcher dropped his gloves for a match up with Georgia's Nick Bydal.
The adrenaline from the fights couldn't break the tie and the players went into the second period locked at 1.
The RiverHawks saw their only lead of the game at the start of the second period when Lucas LaBelle scored a shorthanded goal 1:18 minutes in. In a well executed play by the Ice Bears, Fletcher passed the puck to Furdero who dropped it off to Olauson. Olauson rocketed the puck past Augusta goalie Jordan McLaughlin to tie the game at 2.
Two minutes later Eric Slais gave Knoxville a 3-2 lead with assistance from Captain Mike Bulawka and Martin Kubaliak. Kubaliak made his return to the Ice Bears this week after playing five games with the Mississippi RiverKings of the CHL.
Augusta's Neil Graham scored just 56 seconds into the final period to tie the game at 3, but the Ice Bears were quick to take back the lead. Furdero scored on a power play to bring the score to 4-3.
Slais ripped a sharp shot stick-side and scored his second goal of the game with assistance from Tuomi and Kubaliak. Chris Bratina continued the streak off a pass from Tuomi boosting the score to 6-3.
Furdero finished off the game with the fourth goal of the period off a pass from Olauson and Van Vliet, giving the Ice Bears a 7-3 win over the RiverHawks.
Saturday night, the Ice Bears will host their annual Legends Game at 5 p.m. Knoxville hockey legends including Head Coach Mike Craigen, General Manager Mike Murray, and Ice Bear favorites Tim Vitek, Kevin Swider, K.J. Voorhees, J.J. Wrobel and Doug Searle will face off for bragging rights and their name on the Legends Cup. Following the Legends game, the Knoxville Ice Bears will skate against the Huntsville Havoc 7:30 p.m. in the Civic Coliseum. The Legend's jerseys will be auctioned off at the end of the game.
Mercedes Benz of Knoxville Three Stars of the Game
1. Frank Furdero
2. Eric Slais
3. Mike Tuomi
SPHL Stories from January 21, 2011
- RiverHawks Fall to Ice Bears - Augusta RiverHawks
- Ice Bears Ground RiverHawks - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Ice Flyers lose to the Havoc in low scoring game - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Gators Win - Louisiana IceGators
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