SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – Third-period heroics helped the RiverKings claw back into Tuesday night’s game, but fall short in the shootout, dropping a close one 3-2 to Knoxville.
The RiverKings gave up the lead halfway through the first period when a laser from the left-wing point off the stick of Marcus Ortiz navigated itself through bodies and past Tyler Green for the first goal of the game. Despite going to the locker room at the first intermission trailing 1-0, the RiverKings did get their chances in the first period. A Matt Harrington blast rang off the elbow of the post, and a wide-right shot on a two-on-one opportunity both nearly tied the game. 
The second period would start with the RiverKings down one goal, and it shortly became two. With 3:55 having ticked off the clock, Dean Yakura netted his fourth goal of the season. Adding insult to injury, a late second-period rush led to a waved off RiverKings goal when Ralfs Grinbergs was caught too deep in the crease. Much like the first intermission, the second began with the visiting Ice Bears in the lead, this time at 2-0.
It was the third period where the RiverKings offense and the teamwork prevailed. When it seemed like the team couldn’t catch a break, Brantley Sherwood and newest RiverKings forward Peter Cicmanec cut the lead in half. Cicmanec streaked down the right win board with Sherwood on his left, a perfect feed through the defensemen led the ice-breaking goal for the RiverKings on the night. It didn’t take long for Planters Bank Ice at Landers Center to erupt, only 2:56, before Ryan Marcus netted the game-tying goal, putting one past Ice Bears goalie Zoltan Hetenyi.
Through a feverous final ten minutes of the third, both goaltenders stood firm including Tyler Green who made some remarkable saves including an outstretched toe save to keep things tied. Â Heading into the overtime period, the RiverKings had confidence having scored the two tying goals as well as knowing they were 3-0 in the overtime frame this season. Knoxville came into Tuesday night with a 2-2 record in OT, including a win over Macon on Saturday night. Once again, neither goaltender cracked, and for the first time this season for both teams, a shootout was needed to decide a winner.
The first three rounds went without a single goal past Tyler Green or Zoltan Hetenyi. It would take six round and the Knoxville Ice Bears leading scorer, Berkley Scott to score a goal in the shootout sliding one through the five-hole on Tyler Green. With the chance to tie the shootout and keep his team’s efforts alive, Devin Mantha was stonewalled by Hentenyi leaving Knoxville victorious and with the extra point.
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