Shootout Heroics Give Ice Bears Win at Home

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Knoxville Ice Bears

Shootout Heroics Give Ice Bears Win at Home

November 30, 2024 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release


Knoxville Ice Bears' Eric Olson on game night
Knoxville Ice Bears' Eric Olson on game night
(Knoxville Ice Bears)

Mitch Atkins scored in the sixth round of the shootout and the Knoxville Ice Bears overcame the Evansville Thunderbolts 4-3 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Saturday night.

The Ice Bears have won four out of six games over the past ten days. Evansville has dropped three straight.

With Knoxville trailing 2-0 in the shootout, Atkins scored in the fourth round to give Knoxville a chance. Logan vande Meerakker failed to score for Evansville and Derek Osik fired a wrist shot past Ty Taylor to end the fifth round and keep Knoxville alive. Stephen Mundinger stopped Scott Kirton, who had scored earlier in the shootout for the Thunderbolts.

That set the stage for Atkins' second attempt of the shootout. He skated through the right circle and swept in front of the crease to the left side. He got Taylor to drop to his pads and Atkins lifted a backhand into the yawning net to end the game.

Tyson Gilmour put Evansville in front with a wrist shot from the right circle at 5:53 of the first. Gilmour worked his way off the right-wing wall through the circle and lifted the puck over Mundinger's right shoulder.

Eric Olson tied the game for Knoxville with a deflection from in front of the crease at 13:58. With the Ice Bears on the power play, Carson Vance passed the puck to Daryk Dubé-Plouffe. The ensuing shot from the right circle was redirected by Olson past Taylor for Olson's third goal of the season.

Knoxville earned its first lead of the game when Vance scored off a face-off at 6:17. Olson won the draw on the power play and Dawson McKinney knocked the puck back to Vance who fired from the left point and found the top shelf over Taylor.

The Ice Bears nearly took a 3-1 lead when Kyle Soper was awarded a penalty shot, but his attempt was stopped by Taylor when Soper went low on the shot.

Evansville tied the game when Brendan Harrogate found a loose puck in the slot and scored at 14:36.

Dalton Skelly gave Knoxville the lead right before the second intermission with a snapshot from the right circle. McKinney chipped the puck down the right wing and shoulder checked Anthony Hora off of it. McKinney stole the puck and skated around the Evansville net to the left circle where we slipped it across to Skelly to setup his fourth goal of the season with 35 seconds remaining in the second.

Evansville scored the only goal of the third when vande Meerakker cashed in on a wrister from the left circle at 10:38.

The Thunderbolts nearly won the game in overtime, but Mundinger stopped a breakaway chance by Gilmour and turned aside a wrist shot from Harrogate. Mundinger finished with 36 saves. Taylor made 24 stops for Evansville. Olson had a Gordie Howe Hat-Trick for the Ice Bears.

The Ice Bears remain home to host Roanoke on Friday. Evansville faces Huntsville Thursday night.

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Knoxville Ice Bears' Eric Olson on game night
Knoxville Ice Bears' Eric Olson on game night
   

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