Ice Notes

The Ice Bears get the holiday off work - the boys don't play again until the day after Christmas in Fayetteville against the Fireantz.


The Ice Bears earned 3 out of 4 possible points over the weekend. They sit in 4th place in the southern pro league standings with a winning percentage over 600-percent. The Bears record through 19 games is 11 wins, 7 losses and 1 overtime loss - good for 23 points. That o-t loss came in a 4-to-3 shootout on Friday in Huntsville against the havoc. The Alabama team continues to lead the league, about a half-dozen points ahead of Knoxville.

On Saturday, the Bears blanked the Louisiana Icegators 2-nothing with Andrew Gallant recording his second shutout in 2 seasons as an Ice Bears. "I got a shout out to Marty," Gallant said, "On one of those plays where they had the back door open, he slid across and he pounded the guy, so props to him."

Gallant shared with former teammate Kirk Irving what would've been another shutout, when the pair combined to stone twin city in January last season.

The Ice Bears next home game is Sunday, December 27th, game time is 5 p-m. The boys entertain the Columbus Cottonmouths on what's billed as "family fun day". You can get a family 4 pack of 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 soft drinks for just $44.

Ice Bears forward tom McMonagle's back in uniform. The Glenolden, Pennsylvania product missed a few games because of an unreported issue, but McMonagle now seems to be back at full speed.

Meantime, Ice Bears player/assistant coach BJ Pelkey did not see action on Saturday. Pelkey dressed and sat on the bench - but was unable to play after suffering a shoulder injury the night before in Huntsville. In that game, Pelkey scored a pair of goals.

Over the past week the Ice Bears juggled the roster a little bit. The team obtained Jim Jensen from the Icegators in a cash trade. In his first 2 games for Knoxville, the defenseman from Maplewood, Minnesota recorded four shots on goal, six penalty minutes, and a plus-1 in the plus-minus category. The 6-foot, 190-pound Jensen played for twin city last season. The Bears waived forward Matt Armstrong to make room for Jensen.

And defenseman grant Farrell received a call up up to the ECHL. So far, Farrell's played 4 games with the south Carolina Stingrays and has one assist, one minor penalty, and a +1.