By: Allan Westerholt
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (April 11, 2023) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced today that Bailey Conger of the Knoxville Ice Bears has been named the Warrior/SPHL Player of the Month for March/April.
Conger tallied 24 points, 12 goals, and 12 assists, and had a +7 rating over 13 games played for the Ice Bears last month.
Conger recorded a point in each of the 13 games he appeared in during the month, including eight multi-point performances. He had three multi-goal performances with his high point total coming in a game against the Macon Mayhem on March 25 when he tallied two first-period goals and added two assists as Knoxville went on to defeat Macon 8-6. The Boise, ID native ranked third on the Ice Bears in points (54), goals (25), and fourth in assists (29). This is the third consecutive Player of the Month award for Knoxville, as they took home three of the five Player of the Month awards in the 2022/23 season.
Conger has been a vital part in helping Knoxville keep pace in the SPHL playoff hunt after Justin MacDonald went on the 21-day IR at the beginning of March. Knoxville finished sixth in the SPHL standings and begins their run at the SPHL Presidents Cup Championship on Thursday as they hit the road to face off against the third-seeded Huntsville Havoc.
Other nominees for the Warrior Player of the Month were: Troy MacTavish, Birmingham, (7g, 7a, +9), Austin Alger, Fayetteville, (6g, 7a, +6), Sy Nutkevitch, Huntsville, (4g, 11a, -1), Aaron Aragon, Macon, (8g, 9a, 2ppg, gwg), Brad Aravantis, Pensacola, (5-4-2, 2.64 gaa, 0.916 sv%), Joseph Widmar, Peoria, (4g, 10a, +6, ppg), Kevin Resop, Quad City, (4-7-0, so, 3.12 gaa, 0.911 sv%), Gerhrett Sargis, Roanoke, (7g, 5a, +7)
