Joseph, Ice Bears Stonewall Bulls for 3-2 Win
December 20, 2024 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release
Talor Joseph made a career-high 52 saves and the Knoxville ice Bears held on to defeat the Birmingham Bulls 3-2 at the Pelham Civic Complex Thursday night. The Ice Bears snapped a two-game skid with the win. The Bulls have lost two straight.
Jason Brancheau scored off a rebound at 2:32 of the first to open the scoring early for Knoxville. Derek Osik carried into the zone and fed the puck to Tyler Williams in the left circle. Williams' shot bounced of Austin Lotz's left pad and Brancheau swept in to put the puck back on net.
MacGregor Sinclair stole the puck in the neutral zone and finished off the breakaway at 4:05 to tie the game for the Bulls.
Knoxville nearly retook the lead in the first period, but Osik hit the post from the right side and a goal by Lucas Helland from the point was waived off for being played with a high stick.
Brancheau scored with a one-timer from the right side at 16:33 of the second. Williams and Osik worked the puck out of the right-wing corner and Osik slid it to Brancheau for the quick shot that beat Lotz high for Brancheau's fifth of the season.
Mitch Atkins scored 70 seconds later by carrying the puck up the right wing, deking past Corson Green to get to the slot and lifting a backhand over Lotz's glove for his seventh goal of the season to make it 3-1.
Joseph kept the Ice Bears in front by stopping all 21 shots he faced in the second period alone, including a pair of breakaway chances by Carson Rose.
Kolten Olynek redirected a shot by Jamie Dorsey at 9:02 of the third to pull the Bulls to within a goal, but Knoxville held on after Cam Tobey deflected a shot by Rose from the left circle off a cross-ice pass. Joseph fought off a shot by Rose from the right dot that hit the post and stayed out. Birmingham's final attempt from the slot was stopped by Joseph before Carson Vance pinned the puck into the boards to run out the rest of the clock.
The two teams will return to Knoxville to complete the home-and-home Friday night.
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