KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The epic match-up between the Knoxville Ice Bears and Fayetteville FireAntz on Saturday was one for the record books, literally. It was a record-breaker, tie breaker, back-breaker, and for one goalie, a deal-breaker. By the time the ice chips had settled, the Ice Bears had forced a deciding third game on Sunday with a 6-5 victory in double overtime. John Halverson scored the game-winner with just under three minutes left in the second extra period, ending what is now the longest playoff game in league history. The contest also set records for most shots on net by two teams in one game (136) and shots on net by one team as Knoxville fired 79 shots on Fayetteville’s Guy St. Vincent. The deal breaker came in the form of an attempt to injure match penalty against St. Vincent who swung at the mid-section of Knoxville’s Frank Furdero after Halverson had ended the game. St. Vincent was immediately suspended by the league for an indefinite period until a review of the incident can take place. “Playoff hockey is unlike no other hockey. Guys do crazy stuff,” Knoxville Ice Bears General Manager and Interim Head Coach Mike Murray said. “Travis Hanson dropping down and blocking slap shot with his knees. Jim Jensen blocking a shot that saves the game. Guys do stuff that might not be characteristic of their style but that’s what makes playoffs so exciting.” The game started at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday, as normal despite Fayetteville arriving almost an hour late due to a bus breakdown. It did not take long for left over emotions to reach a boiling point as Fayetteville’s Emery Olauson and Knoxville’s Kyle Bochek took matching roughing penalties 20 seconds into the first period. It would not be until 17:47 into the game that someone dented the scoreboard. Knoxville’s Mark Van Vliet went up the middle off a pass from Rich Zalewski and beat St. Vincent, who faced 20 shots in the first period alone. SPHL MVP Rob Sich returned to the lineup for Fayetteville after serving a one-game suspension, and although he was held to no shots on goal in the first, his presence was felt by the Knoxville players and fans alike. “Sich back in lineup really impacted us mainly because Knoxville has to concentrate on him,” Fayetteville Head Coach Tommy Stewart said. “It loosens up some other people to make the plays.” One of those other players was Brett McConnachie, who maneuvered past several Ice Bears players to get the puck over Gallant’s shoulder 2:24 into the second. Less than two minutes later, Sich converted on a power play opportunity with help from Lawne Snyder and Chris Leveille. After the goal Sich took a page out of the NASCAR playbook and skated a victory lap in front of more than 2,500 Ice Bears fans. On his ninth shot on goal of the night, and after being turned away from the net 14 times on Friday, Knoxville’s Bobby Joe Pelkey scored his first goal of the playoffs from a battle in front of St. Vincent to tie the game at two at 14:55. Less than two minutes later, Pelkey continued to make plays as he connected with Kevin Swider, who then passed to Mike Bulawka who put the puck past St. Vincent to give Knoxville a 3-2 lead that it took into the second intermission. Knoxville’s Bochek opened the final period with a one-timer that sailed past St. Vincent at 2:26 to push the Ice Bears‘ lead to 4-2 but Fayetteville’s Corey Hessler answered with a goal at 5:36 to cut the margin back to a single score. Knoxville then regained its two-goal cushion when Mike Kneeland found St. Vincent down on his belly and went up and over the goalie to score the Ice Bears’ fifth goal of the night at 12:39. Fayetteville, however, was not ready to throw in the towel. Coming off a huge game on Friday, FireAntz’ forward Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn shortened Knoxville’s celebration with a goal off of setup passes from Emery Olauson and Craig Geerlinks, bringing Fayetteville back within one again at 13:50. Then with less than five minutes left in regulation, Fayetteville’s Lawne Snyder went top-shelf above Gallant’s right shoulder for a power play goal that even the score at 5-5. It would be another 23 minutes and well past midnight on the time clock before the scoreboard would change again. It wasn’t for effort as each team had eight shots in the first overtime and 15 more apiece in the second extra period before Halverson scored the winner off of a pretty pass from Swider. Someone should have told St. Vincent the game was over. In what appeared to be a shear act of frustration, St. Vincent went after Knoxville’s Furdero with his stick, drawing a huge penalty that will keep him out of Sunday’s game at the minimum. Flashes of a repeat brawl rushed to the minds of the remaining loyal Ice Bears fans, but the crowd of players on the ice eventually separated without incident. Game notes…Game 3 on Sunday in Fayetteville will see the return of Knoxville’s Tim Vitek and both head coaches, all of whom completed serving their respective two and three game suspensions for the brawl one week ago… In St. Vincent’s absence, Fayetteville will have to rely on backup goalie Brian Bridges (8-5-3, .902 save percentage). Bridges has lost only one game at home this season…Knoxville’s power play went 0-for-10 in the game while Fayetteville went 2-for-8. In the two games so far, the Ice Bears are 0-for-18 while the FireAntz are 3-for-14. Kristina Shands is an intern for the Knoxville Ice Bears. Contact the author at kristina.shands@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.