Ice Bears edge RiverKings in Game 1

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Knoxville Ice Bears scored the only goal in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and defeat the Mississippi RiverKings, 3-2, in Game 1 of the President’s Cup Finals at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Thursday night. The Ice Bears capitalized on a slow RiverKings start, after Mississippi had over a week off because of its bye to the finals. Brett Valliquette finished a shot from the left circle to give the Ice Bears a 1-0 lead just 3:56 into the first period. The RiverKings titled the ice in their favor the rest of the period, but the game entered the first intermission with the Ice Bears up, 1-0.

The Ice Bears again scored early to start the second period. Knoxville went into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 as the RiverKings made a sloppy change and Josh Cousineau fired a shot from the left circle. Peter Di Salvo made an initial stop, but the puck trickled behind him and Dennis Sicard was there to tap it in for a 2-0 lead at 7:35. Mississippi used two power plays to even the game a few minutes later. First Leo Thomas got the RiverKings on the board at 10:57 by snapping home a shot from the slot, with Matt Whitehead and Andrew Randazzo getting assists. Then about six minutes later on another power play Bryon Paulazzo cranked in a shot from the right circle to tie the game.

Knoxville capitalized on one of their first chances in the third to go ahead 3-2 less than five minutes in. Jason Price sent a shot from the left point through a screen that Di Salvo stopped, but the rebound bounced to Berkley Scott, who finished it off for a 3-2 lead. The RverKings pressed in the third, outshooting Knoxville 16-6, but Bryan Hince turned aside each to give the Ice Bears a Game 1 win. Notes: All four RiverKings playoff games have been decided by one goal… Captain Leo Thomas scored in his second straight playoff game… Bryon Paulazzo scored his team-leading fourth goal in the playoffs and also hit two posts in the second period… The RiverKings scored their first two power-play goals of the playoffs.