Ice Bears Rally with Big Third Period to Down Marksmen 4-1
SPHL Knoxville Ice Bears

Ice Bears Rally with Big Third Period to Down Marksmen 4-1

Published on January 10, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release


Derek Osik and Tyler Williams scored 62 seconds apart in the third period to put Knoxville in front to stay, Stephen Mundinger made 25 saves in net and the Ice Bears rallied to defeat the Fayetteville Marksmen 4-1 Saturday night at Crown Coliseum.

With Knoxville trailing in the third period, Osik tied the game with his first goal as an Ice Bear since returning to Knoxville earlier this week. Carson Vance sent the puck towards the crease from the left point and Osik redirected the puck over Mason Beaupit at 8:05.

Tyler Williams scored just over a minute later when Brayden Stannard sent him the puck up the right-wing wall to the top of the circle. Williams' shot got a piece of Fayetteville's netminder before slowly sliding underneath Beaupit and across the goal line.

Mundinger kept the game scoreless down the stretch of the opening period as the Marksmen started to find opportunities offensively. He made a glove save on Sam Dabrowski's wrist shot from the right circle, held onto Blake Humphrey's screened attempt from the high slot and kicked away Graeme McCroy's point blank chance on the rush with his blocker side.

Fayetteville broke the scoreless tie with Ryan Lieth's goal at 4:49 of the second period. Mundinger kicked away a redirect from in front of the crease and then blocked Lieth's initial attempt off the centering feed before the rebound slid underneath him.

The Ice Bears nearly tied the game towards the end of the second, but Jason Brancheau's shot from in front hit the post and Robin Liljekvist's look from the high slot was kept out by Beaupit.

Mundinger continued to battle to keep Knoxville within one heading into the final period. He smothered Cole Crowder's wrister from the left circle and snagged a redirected shot from the left point with the glove.

Jimmy Soper and Jared Westcott scored empty net goals late in the period to conclude the scoring. Beaupit finished with 23 saves.

Knoxville returns home to host Huntsville on Friday. Fayetteville is at Roanoke on Friday.

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SPHL Stories from January 10, 2026


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