Most professional sports teams follow a time-honored tradition of welcoming rookies into the pro's...
So, the Ice Bears set aside a special day for what they call, "rookie initiation." Rookies Travis Martell and Mark Van Vliet were among those dressed up in opposite gender attire - which captain Kevin Swider says adds to the team bonding fun.
"We have a little fun with them,”Swider says ”a rookie party, which is an annual event, have a lot of fun, kind of initiate the guys. It's a good time, and as you can see, some of the vets took care of them and dressed them up."
30 December 2008
Youth Player of the Game
Last Sunday, the ice bears recognized an amateur player who's tops in his youth hockey league ...
They welcomed Camden O'brian - a 7-year-old from west Knoxville ... Camden's a student at A.L. Lotts elementary who was “super excited."
Camden is a member of the Icearium cross ice program and he's been skating for 2 years. Tom Obrian, Camden's dad said that “it's pretty cool. he's a fast skater and he's really jazzed about this." Tom played hockey when he was young and is thrilled to see his son take the ice at an Ice Bears game. Tom hopes it "may be a pre-courser to what he'll do later in life.”
Could be! congratulations Camden!
They welcomed Camden O'brian - a 7-year-old from west Knoxville ... Camden's a student at A.L. Lotts elementary who was “super excited."
Camden is a member of the Icearium cross ice program and he's been skating for 2 years. Tom Obrian, Camden's dad said that “it's pretty cool. he's a fast skater and he's really jazzed about this." Tom played hockey when he was young and is thrilled to see his son take the ice at an Ice Bears game. Tom hopes it "may be a pre-courser to what he'll do later in life.”
Could be! congratulations Camden!
29 December 2008
Holidays On Ice
Some first time ice skaters say they now have a new appreciation for hockey players and their skills...
The ice bears joined beginners and more experienced skaters over the holidays at Knoxville's market square outdoor ice skating rink. Center City Events is in its 4th year of operating the holidays on ice rink, which attracts about 16-thousand skaters each season.
The outdoor skating rink is open on Market Square through this Sunday, January 4th. And if you want to ring in the new year Wednesday on skates - they're open until the market square ball drops at midnight , then on New Year's Day the outdoor rink's open from noon until 10 pm.
The ice bears joined beginners and more experienced skaters over the holidays at Knoxville's market square outdoor ice skating rink. Center City Events is in its 4th year of operating the holidays on ice rink, which attracts about 16-thousand skaters each season.
The outdoor skating rink is open on Market Square through this Sunday, January 4th. And if you want to ring in the new year Wednesday on skates - they're open until the market square ball drops at midnight , then on New Year's Day the outdoor rink's open from noon until 10 pm.
Ice Notes
Several roster moves to report this week including Kevin Harris, Frank Furdero and a new addition.
Defenseman Kevin Harris did not play in either of the Ice Bears home games over the weekend...Harris tested his lower body injury in warm-ups on Saturday, but could not go. According to Coach Scott Hillman "Kevin Harris is day-to-day right now."
On Friday against Richmond, forward Frank Furdero crashed into the boards going for a loose puck - which resulted in icing ... the second period injury forced Furdero from the game. Furdero said "The defender's skate came in to my other leg, my left leg, took me out and my right ankle just crammed into the boards, spraining it, so we'll see.”
"Unfortunately,” Coach Hillman said, “due to the collision on the icing call - Frank Furdero's going to have to be moved to the 30-day IR ... he's pretty sore right now. The good news is we're able to bring Chris Rebernik off the IR, although we don't expect him in the next week or two, we do expect him back well before 30 days."
The Ice Bears signed coach Scott Hillman's former defensive partner Chris Brannen to a 3 game tryout on Christmas eve. Brannen played the previous 4 years in the central hockey league - 3 of those seasons with the Odessa Jackalopes. Brannen said he “played with Scott in Odessa here, and a bunch of the guys, and i think the world of Hilly and just looking forward to the opportunity to try and help the team." Most recently, Brannen played 23 games this season for the CHL's rocky mountain rage.
On Christmas night against the Cottonmouths, Knoxville netminder Andrew Gallant recorded his second professional shutout - it was his first as an Ice Bear. He says “if you're going to go and play on Christmas, you might as well go all the way. I asked Santa for a goose egg, so I guess I was a good boy this year."
Both Gallant and Kirk Irving remain ranked among the top goaltenders in the league...both have better than 2.75 goals against averages and 91-percent save percentages.
Ice Bears captain Kevin Swider continues to lead the southern league scoring race with 42 points through 25 games ... Swider added to his total last week with 2 goals and 4 assists.
Knoxville's Tim Vitek, BJ Pelkey, and Mike Carter moved up last week among the top 10 scorers in the league - all with 26 or more points - better than a point a game average.
Defenseman Kevin Harris did not play in either of the Ice Bears home games over the weekend...Harris tested his lower body injury in warm-ups on Saturday, but could not go. According to Coach Scott Hillman "Kevin Harris is day-to-day right now."
On Friday against Richmond, forward Frank Furdero crashed into the boards going for a loose puck - which resulted in icing ... the second period injury forced Furdero from the game. Furdero said "The defender's skate came in to my other leg, my left leg, took me out and my right ankle just crammed into the boards, spraining it, so we'll see.”
"Unfortunately,” Coach Hillman said, “due to the collision on the icing call - Frank Furdero's going to have to be moved to the 30-day IR ... he's pretty sore right now. The good news is we're able to bring Chris Rebernik off the IR, although we don't expect him in the next week or two, we do expect him back well before 30 days."
The Ice Bears signed coach Scott Hillman's former defensive partner Chris Brannen to a 3 game tryout on Christmas eve. Brannen played the previous 4 years in the central hockey league - 3 of those seasons with the Odessa Jackalopes. Brannen said he “played with Scott in Odessa here, and a bunch of the guys, and i think the world of Hilly and just looking forward to the opportunity to try and help the team." Most recently, Brannen played 23 games this season for the CHL's rocky mountain rage.
On Christmas night against the Cottonmouths, Knoxville netminder Andrew Gallant recorded his second professional shutout - it was his first as an Ice Bear. He says “if you're going to go and play on Christmas, you might as well go all the way. I asked Santa for a goose egg, so I guess I was a good boy this year."
Both Gallant and Kirk Irving remain ranked among the top goaltenders in the league...both have better than 2.75 goals against averages and 91-percent save percentages.
Ice Bears captain Kevin Swider continues to lead the southern league scoring race with 42 points through 25 games ... Swider added to his total last week with 2 goals and 4 assists.
Knoxville's Tim Vitek, BJ Pelkey, and Mike Carter moved up last week among the top 10 scorers in the league - all with 26 or more points - better than a point a game average.
Recent Play
Wednesday night the Ice Bears are ringing in the new year - 2009 - in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, playing the Twin City Cyclones in Southern Pro League action.
It's their fifth game in 7 nights ... it's been quite a grind as they close out the year and the month of December.
Coach Hillman says "It's so tough, you got to just work in little 5 minute increments each period and try and not build too much of a deficit where you have to blow everything out to try to make a comeback. You just try and preserve energy when you can just to survive."
Coming into this final week of 2008, the Ice Bears held onto second place in the SPHL standings, hot on the heels of the first place Huntsville Havoc.
Through 25 games - the Ice Bears' earned 18 wins, 7 losses, and 2 overtime losses, good for 33 points.
The team split a pair of home games over the weekend...winning against Fayetteville on Saturday after losing in overtime to the renegades on Friday. Coach says "It's been real tough, we've been playing so hard on the road that it seems like every time we come home we're coming off the road and the guys are a little down on energy."
The Ice Bears play 5 games this week - four of them on the road ... the first home game of the new year is this Friday, January 2nd against the Cottonmouths - 7:30 face-off.
It's their fifth game in 7 nights ... it's been quite a grind as they close out the year and the month of December.
Coach Hillman says "It's so tough, you got to just work in little 5 minute increments each period and try and not build too much of a deficit where you have to blow everything out to try to make a comeback. You just try and preserve energy when you can just to survive."
Coming into this final week of 2008, the Ice Bears held onto second place in the SPHL standings, hot on the heels of the first place Huntsville Havoc.
Through 25 games - the Ice Bears' earned 18 wins, 7 losses, and 2 overtime losses, good for 33 points.
The team split a pair of home games over the weekend...winning against Fayetteville on Saturday after losing in overtime to the renegades on Friday. Coach says "It's been real tough, we've been playing so hard on the road that it seems like every time we come home we're coming off the road and the guys are a little down on energy."
The Ice Bears play 5 games this week - four of them on the road ... the first home game of the new year is this Friday, January 2nd against the Cottonmouths - 7:30 face-off.
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