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RiverHawks Fall to Ice Bears 5-1

March 23, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Augusta RiverHawks News Release


After receiving the William B. Coffey Trophy for clinching the best regular season record in the Southern Professional Hockey League this season, the Augusta RiverHawks turned in one of their least impressive performances of the season dropping a 5-1 decision to the Knoxville Ice Bears.

While the shot totals did not do the Ice Bears justice on this night, they did receive a stellar goaltending performance from Kyle Rank, who made 39 saves en route to his ninth win of the season. By contrast, RiverHawks goaltender Peter Skoggard stopped just 18 of 23 shots fired his direction, however a large percentage of those shots were prime scoring chances.

From the start the RiverHawks looked like a team with that was looking ahead to the playoffs, while the Ice Bears played like a team that was still battling for playoff positioning. The Ice Bears got out to a two-goal in the first period, as Brett Valiquette and Ricky Helmbrecht scored goals less than two minutes apart.

The second period was no better for the RiverHawks, as they failed to convert two separate 5-on-3 power plays, while the Ice Bears converted one of the 5-on-4 variety. Kevin Swider, the SPHL's leading scorer, buried a pass from David Segal just five seconds before the power play was to end mid-way through the second period.

Swider removed any doubt that the Ice Bears would be victorious half-way through the third period, when he scored his second of the game to make it a 4-0 score. Dan Bremner capped off the Ice Bears' scoring a few minutes later.

The only item left to be determined was whether or not Rank would be rewarded with a shut out. He would not, as RiverHawks' Captain Matt Auffrey appeared to dance through the entire Ice Bears' team late in the third period before feathering a pass across to Neil Graham, who scored and ruined Rank's shutout bid.

The RiverHawks open the playoffs on Phoenix Refrigeration Ice at the James Brown Arena Wednesday, March 28th as they play the Huntsville Havoc in Game One of the SPHL Quarter-Finals. The puck drops at 7:35pm .Tickets for the game are available through the RiverHawks' office and the James Brown Arena box office. Additional information on the Team, tickets, and schedule are available on the RiverHawks' home on the web, www.augustariverhawks.com or by calling 706-993-2645.



SPHL Stories from March 23, 2012


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