Ice Notes

Additions, subtractions, and a suspension.

Coach Marc Rodgers signed forward Mike Kneeland. The 26-year-old Calgary native played 18 games in the Central Hockey League this season with the Wichita Thunder, recording 4 goals, 1 assist in 18 games. So far as an Ice Bear,Kneeland has 1 assist in 3 games, and is a plus-2. "I'd been off for almost a month," Mike told Hockey LoeDown , "so, it was just kind of just easing my way back into it - 3 games in 3 nights is tough when you haven't been on the ice in awhile."

Defenseman Rich Zalewski now has a season-long contract, after auditioning with two, 3 game tryouts.

To make room for the newcomers - the Ice Bears parted with forwards Tommy McMonagle and Randy Johnston, and defenseman Paul Lynch. Columbus claimed McMonagle off waivers; Huntsville signed Johnston to a 3-game tryout, while Lynch is still in Knoxville - possibly waiting for an opportunity to rejoin the Ice Bears.

Forward David Segal injured his shoulder a week-and-a-half ago on the Bears Pensacola road trip. Over the weekend, Segal dressed but did not see any action, other than the pair of penalties he received Saturday while sitting on the team bench.

Columbus coach Jerome Berchard is temporarily out of work. The SPHL indefinitely suspended the Cottnomouths coach for throwing a water bottle at referee Geoffrey Miller Friday night in Knoxville. Berchard, who last season was honored as the league's chairman, became upset after the Snakes' Ryan McCarthy was whistled for boarding with eight seconds left in the second period. Referee Miller tossedBerchard from the game.