RiverKings Come Up Short, Downed By Bulls 3-1

Shane Bennett scored in his RiverKings debut, but Mississippi falls to the Bulls 3-1 at Planters Bank Ice at Landers Center. Coming into the game, the RiverKings were 9-0 when scoring first, and things looked good as one of the newest RiverKings, Shane Bennett broke open the scoring in the first period. Assisted by Ralfs Grinbergs, Bennett sniped a shot that beat Bulls netminder Maveric Parks and put the RiverKings in the lead for the first, and only, time of the evening.

Birmingham wouldn’t wait long to retaliate, as only two minutes and nine seconds elapsed before the Bulls got on the scoreboard. It was Josh Harris on the power, who beat goaltender Jared Rutledge and pulled the Bulls even at 1-1. It was Harris’ third goal against the RiverKings in two games this season.

The first period would conclude in the tie, but Birmingham and Keegan Bruce would take the lead 5:13 into the second period. Assisted by Sean Gammage and Evan Schultz, Bruce took a shot immediately off the face-off and snuck one past Rutledge for the 2-1 Bulls lead.

The RiverKings best opportunity to tie the game came in the third period when Shane Bennett’s high shot slot rang off the outside post and even hit goalie Parks in the back. Birmingham’s defense jumped on the loose puck and cleared the zone, ending the RiverKings hopes of tying the game.

The Bulls would tack on the insurance goal only moments later, when Craig Simchuk found Alexander Tauline all alone to the right of Jared Rutledge in a mini two-on-one. The pace glanced off Tauline’s stick and hopped over the shoulder of Rutledge, who couldn’t get across in time, and the Bulls scored their third unanswered goal of the evening and left Southaven with the W