KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)- The Knoxville Ice Bears picked up its sixth straight win after the team scored two goals in less than three minutes into the first period to take an early lead and never looked back.
Sam Turner tried to score a goal with a one-timer but could not get it past Ben Churchfield, however, Anthony McVeigh was there for the rebound. McVeigh’s goal gave the Ice Bears a 1-0 lead 1:33 into the first period. Just one minute later, Dino Balsamo drove down the left alley on a pass from Alex Pommerville and finished off the attack with a wrister to give the Ice Bears a 2-0 lead.
Vermillion’s Connor Graham scored just 23 seconds into the second period to give the Bobcats their lone score of the night. Four minutes later, J.B. Baker found the net for his twelfth goal of the season to give Knoxville a 3-1 lead.
The Ice Bears kept the momentum going into the final period. McVeigh found the back of the net for the second time of the night and his eleventh score of the season to give Knoxville a 4-1 lead and ultimately the final score.
Kristian Stead got the nod in the net for the Ice Bears. Stead picked up his eighth win of the season, saving 18 of 19 shots.
The Ice Bears return to the ice on January 11, when the team hits the road to try and take down the top team in the SPHL, the Huntsville Havoc.
