Ice Notes

Catch up on this weeks roster moves, how the Ice Bears stack up in the scoring race and who's getting called up.

The Ice Bears have accomplished an unprecedented achievement in SPHL hockey, for the first time in memory - 3 players from the same team hold down the league's top 3 positions in the scoring race, and 2 of the league's top 3 goaltenders are also on that same team.

Ice Bears linemates Kevin Swider, Tim Vitek and Mike Carter lead all scorers with 76, 61, and 59 points respectively - the 3 highest scorers in the SPHL. Team captain Swider recorded his 30th goal of the season on Friday against the Cyclones, and is closing in on his 5th consecutive league scoring title. "You just know you can call on him for a big goal at key times," said Ice Bears coach Scott Hillman.

"I think it's gotta be our practice - we work hard in practice - so it's definitely our conditioning is up right now." Said Vitek, who notched his twentieth goal on Thursday at Huntsville.

Carter scored his second pro hat trick to boost his point total during the Ice Bears 7 games in 9 days stretch. "I believe he sees himself as one of the best players in this league and he's playing with confidence, skating and shooting the puck,” said Hillman.

Ice Bears netminders Andrew Gallant and Kirk Irving are among the league's best goalies. Gallant ranks first among tenders playing 15 games or more, while Irving holds down the third slot behind the Cottonmouths' Ian Vigier. "It comes to team success,” Irving said. “In the end, what we want is a championship, and whether it's him playing better or myself playing better, in the end it's just a ring on the finger is all that matters, as long as we get the win in the end of the day."

The Ice Bears mascot, "Chilly" suited up on the road Friday in Richmond - but not in his costume. Instead Rob Wilson dressed as the team's emergency back-up goaltender to starter Irving. "Andrew Gallant was very ill after the game in Huntsville, and thank goodness the bus needed to travel just about right through Knoxville knowing rob had some goaltending experience in his background,” Coach Hillman said. "'Chilly bear' our bus driver, our back-up goaltender and also functioned as our equipment manager."

And another call-up! Ice Bears defenseman Mark Van Vliet received the team's second call-up of the season. The Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL requested Van Vliet for a pair of weekend home games.
Coach Hillman tells hockey Loedown the Cincinnati club will evaluate Van Vliet following those games to determine the length of his stay. And by the way, the Cyclones are the ECHL defending Kelly Cup playoff champs.

That roster move creates room in the Ice Bears line-up for Derek Pallardy - he came off 30-day injured reserve on Tuesday

Last week, the Twin City Cyclones signed former Knoxville defenseman Jared Siganuk to a season-long contract, after previously signing him to a 3-game tryout. Siganuk played in Knoxville Saturday, wearing the number 27 sweater for the Cyclones.



Picture courtesy of Haas Designs and Laura Adkins via Volzeye.com