Ice Bears Settle for Weekend Split After Loss to Evansville
Published on February 3, 2024 under SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Brendahn Brawley made 29 saves and the Knoxville Ice Bears fell to the Evansville Thunderbolts 6-1 at the Ford Center Saturday night.
At 12:29 of the first period, Vadim Vasjonkin scored the first goal of the night from right in front of the crease. Myles Abbate assisted from behind the goal line and fed Vasjonkin his 5th goal of the year to give Evansville a 1- 0 lead.
Moments after Knoxville killed off a penalty, Dmitry Yushkevich scored with 14 seconds left in the first. Yushkevich launched the puck from the right-wing point with Bruno Kriesz and Lincoln Hatten on the assist, securing a 2-0 lead for Evansville going into the second period.
Evansville finished the first with 15 shots on goal more than doubling Knoxville's six.
Matthew Hobbs brought the Thunderbolts to a 3-0 lead at 5:51 of the second. Hobbs sent the puck with a toe drag shot through Mathieu Boislard and over Riley Morris' blocker. Hobbs served a 2-minute minor for slashing at 9:42 in the second, giving Knoxville its first power play of the game. Knoxville generated four chances to score during the man-advantage, but couldn't beat Brawley.
Yushkevich sprawled out on the ice to score his second goal of the night as Hobbs' pass gave him a back door opportunity at 13:11 of the second period. With Hatten and Hobbs on the assist, Yushkevich dove near the crease to put the puck into the right side of the net giving Evansville a 4-0 lead. The Ice Bears sent Zane Steeves to the ice to relieve Morris following the fourth goal. Morris finished with 18 saves.
Hobbs scored his second goal of the game at 0:30 of the third period. He made the backdoor shot from the left side of the crease with Hatten and Dorsey on the assist. Hatten finished the game with three assists, and Dorsey with two.
Derek Osik put Knoxville on the board at 1:43 of the third, with Sam Dabrowski and Logan Coomes on the assist. Dabrowski recovered the puck from behind the goal and found Osik in the slot to end Brawley's shutout bid.
Vasjonkin fed Brady Lynn the puck across the goal at 7:10 of the third where he finished it off to cap off the scoring detail.
The Ice Bears will return to the Civic Coliseum on Friday to host Fayetteville.
Sophia Schoenfeld contributed to this report.
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