The Knoxville Ice Bears fell behind early and couldn’t recover as Knoxville suffered a 9-2 loss to the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at the Berglund Center Friday night.

 

Nick Ford had a hat trick for Roanoke. Joe Widmar had a goal and three assists, Carson Gallagher had a goal and two assists and Stephen Alvo had three assists for Roanoke, winners of two straight.

 

Widmar opened the scoring with a redirect from a Alvo shot just 1:34 into the game. Gallagher scored at 5:55 and Austen Swankler swept across the crease to put the puck on net at 9:35. Jacob Kelly converted a Roanoke power play from in front of the crease and Ford scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway at 19:37 to cap off a five-goal first period for the Rail Yard Dawgs.

 

Jason Brancheau got Knoxville on the board when he punched in a rebound from the left side of the crease at 11:56 of the second. Derek Osik took the puck in the neutral zone and made his way up the right wing. His shot became a pass-off-pad right to Brancheau, who put the puck back on net for his 12th of the season.

 

Tommy Munichiello scored off a rebound with five seconds remaining in the period to make it 6-1 at the intermission.

 

Matt O’Dea scored with a wrist shot from the right circle that split Stephen Mundinger’s pads 38 seconds into the third. Ford scored twice two minutes apart to complete the hat trick and end Mundinger’s night. Mundnger made 24 saves and was replaced by Talor Joseph, who stopped the only two shots he faced.

 

Cam Tobey scored his fourth of the season from the right circle at 9:24 to cap off the scoring detail. 

 

Austyn Roudebush made 24 saves for Roanoke.

 

The two teams will face off again Saturday night at the Berglund center. 

 

ABOUT The Knoxville Ice Bears: The Knoxville Ice Bears organization began in 2002 and was an inaugural charter member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) in 2004. As four-time SPHL Champions and five-time regular season champions, the Ice Bears are an experienced and established organization, offering the city and its visitors a balanced product of highlight-reel hockey, unique and exciting intermission activity and endless fan interaction, presenting the most affordable, family-friendly way to enjoy sports and entertainment.