Ice Bears Ground ThunderBolts in Shootout
January 7, 2017 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Knoxville, TN-Mark Pustin, Trevor Hertz and Berkley Scott scored in the shootout and the Knoxville Ice Bears downed the Evansville Thunderbolts 4-3 to extend its point streak to five games. The Ice Bears are 4-0-1 over their last five. The Thunderbolts have dropped five of six.
The Thunderbolts forced overtime when Mike Donnelley poked in a loose puck by the crease with 45 seconds remaining with the extra attacker on the ice to erase a two-goal deficit. Garrett Vermeersch scored at 2:44 of the third to begin Evansville's rally. Andrew Bonazza notched his second goal of the night a minute prior to put Knoxville ahead 3-1.
Evansville scored early in the second on a power play when Tommy Fiorentino found Dave Williams in front of the crease who then slipped it out wide to Justin MacDonald waiting for it on the backdoor of Brian Billet. MacDonald lifted the puck over the left shoulder of Billet and into the top of the cage to give the Thunderbolts the lead.
Luke Sandler netted the equalizer when he forced a turnover in the Evansville end. His shot from the right circle glanced off of Michael Doan's stick, bounced straight up into the air, rolled down Doan's back and fell into the net at 12:30 of the second. The Ice Bears took the lead going into the second intermission when Bonazza blasted a one-timer from Mark Pustin through the five-hole of Doan with just over a minute remaining for his first goal of the night.
The meeting will be the fifth this season between Knoxville and Evansville. The Ice Bears are 2-1-1 in the first four games.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night at 7:30 pm for Nashville Predators night. For tickets please visit www.knoxvilletickets.com or call 865-656-4444 for more information.
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SPHL Stories from January 7, 2017
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- Ice Bears Roll Seven on Evansville - Knoxville Ice Bears
- ThunderBolts Fight Hard in Loss - Evansville Thunderbolts
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- Rail Yard Dawgs Saturday Night's Game On As Scheduled - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- ThunderBolts Fall Short in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Knoxville - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Todd Hosmer Scores Twice in RiverKings Loss - Mississippi RiverKings
- Ice Bears Ground ThunderBolts in Shootout - Knoxville Ice Bears
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