Ice Bears Outlast Flyers in Shootout
Published on December 31, 2021 under SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Joey Strada, Anthony McVeigh and Jason Price all scored in the shootout and the Knoxville Ice Bears defeated the Pensacola Ice Flyers 4-3 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Friday night.
The win was the fourth straight for Knoxville (16-3-2) and the second straight home game decided in a shootout. The win also snapped a two-game streak for the Ice Flyers (12-8-4).
Strada and McVeigh scored in the first and third rounds of the shootout, respectively to help Knoxville build a 2-1 lead. After Kristian Stead stopped Dalton Young in the fourth round, Price coasted into the slot and buried the puck past Cody Karpinski to give Knoxville the win.
The Ice Flyers forced overtime with a power play goal in the third period from Young, who evaded two skaters in the neutral zone and zipped a shot past Stead to tie the game 3-3 at 7:59.
Pensacola had several chances to win it before the shootout. The Ice Flyers failed to capitalize on a power play late in the third and Stead made a series of big saves in the extra period. He made a close range save from the left side off a two-on-one and stopped back-to-back shots from Brandon Tucker with 36 seconds left. The Ice Flyers also had an open look from the slot, but the shot hit the right post and stayed out.
Pensacola opened the scoring when Tucker found the net at 4:13 of the first period. Marcus Russell carried the puck into the zone, dropped it back for Tucker on the right side and his shot slipped between Stead's pads.
Sam Turner tied the game for the Ice Bears with 1:34 left in the period. Knoxville worked the puck around the perimeter on the power play and Turner fired a shot from the blue line that avoided traffic in front of the crease and found its way past Karpinski.
Tucker put Pensacola out in front again when he was fed a pass from behind the net right in front of the crease. Tucker's shot was deflected and bounced over Stead before spinning across the goal line to make it 2-1 just 16 seconds into the second period.
J.B. Baker tied the game a minute and a half later with a wrist shot from the left circle. Kasey Kulczycki won a wall battle on the left side and slipped the puck to Baker, who had Dalton Young screening him. Baker's quick release caught Karpinski off guard and found the net.
Baker gave the Ice Bears their first lead with 1:30 remaining in the second by finishing off a breakaway. Price fired a long pass to Baker, who had slipped behind Pensacola's defense. Baker skated in and fired the puck past Karpinski's blocker for his 10th of the season.
Stead finished with 21 saves for his seventh win of the year. Karpinski made 25 stops for Pensacola.
The two teams will face off again Saturday night at the Civic Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m.
SPHL Stories from December 31, 2021
- Thunderbolts Fall to Rivermen, 4-1 - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Mayhem Come up Short in Final Game of 2021 - Macon Mayhem
- Dawgs Smash Havoc in 4-1 New Year's Eve Win - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Ice Bears Outlast Flyers in Shootout - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Top Line Scoring Bests Mayhem - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Havoc Fall Short on New Years Eve - Huntsville Havoc
- Havoc Drop First Home Game in Regulation - Huntsville Havoc
- Quad City Storm Game Rescheduled - Quad City Storm
- Ice Flyers Get Blend of New and Old to Get Home Win Before New Year's - Pensacola Ice Flyers
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