The Knoxville Ice Bears kicked off their 22nd season in Knoxville with a home opener against the Birmingham Bulls. The atmosphere was electric as UT head baseball coach Tony Vitello and his players dropped the ceremonial first puck, and Knoxville native Emily Ann Roberts sang the National Anthem. However, despite the excitement, the game did not go in favor of the Ice Bears.
The Bulls dominated the match, shutting out the Ice Bears with a final score of 5-0. Hayden Stewart, the Bulls’ goaltender, made 18 saves to secure his first shutout of the season. Kishaun Gervais was the standout player for the Bulls, scoring two goals.
The first goal came from Drake Glover, who scored with a powerful one-timer from the high slot. Gervais then added to the lead with a shorthanded goal before the end of the first period. In the second period, Gervais scored his second goal by banking the puck in off the goalie’s right side. Matt Wiesner also contributed to the Bulls’ lead with a rebound goal.
The Ice Bears’ goalie, Kristian Stead, made 21 saves before being replaced by Zane Steeves in the second period. Steeves made 14 saves for the remainder of the game. Despite their efforts, the Ice Bears were unable to find the back of the net.
The two teams will face off again in Pelham for the second game of the home and home series on Saturday night. The Ice Bears will be looking to bounce back and secure a win on their home ice on November 3rd.
It was a disappointing start to the season for the Ice Bears, but there is still plenty of hockey to be played. The team will regroup and work on their strategies to come back stronger in the upcoming games. Stay tuned for more updates on the Ice Bears’ journey!