Knoxville, TN (February 21, 2019) Sean Kaspersky scored a power play goal with 4:44 remaining and the Quad City Storm downed the Knoxville Ice Bears 3-2 at the Civic Coliseum Thursday night.
Marcus Ortiz and Doug Rose scored for Knoxville. Michael Casale added two goals for the Storm. Jason Pawloski made 37 saves for the Ice Bears.
Kacerosky scored five seconds into a five-minute power play for the Storm after Ortiz was given a game misconduct for spearing. Kacersoky had the puck drawn back to him on the ensuing face off and he found the top shelf of the net to put Quad City ahead for good.
Ortiz found the puck at his feet in the slot and lifted a backhand past Peter Di Salvo on the power play at 3:51 of the first. It was Knoxville’s fourth consecutive game with a power play goal.
Casale tied the game before the first intermission when he took the puck down the right wing and crossed over from the right circle to the left hash and slid a backhanded shot by Pawloski at 15:33.
Knoxville struck early in the second with another goal on the man advantage when Rose’s wrist shot beat Di Salvo’s blocker up high at 1:34.
Casale tied the game again with his second of the night by finishing off a breakaway with a backhand over Pawloski at 17:55. A pass back to the left point in the Quad City zone hit the shaft of a broken stick lying on the ice and Casale picked up the puck and carried it down the right wing before swooping across the crease to finish off the play.
Knoxville hits the road to face Birmingham tomorrow and Saturday. The Ice Bears won’t play in the Civic Coliseum again until Friday, March 8. Quad City stays on the road and visits the Evansville Thunderbolts Friday night.
Article Credit: Knoxville Ice Bears
