FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Ryan Kenny stopped all 30 shots faced and Mikey Wilson scored his first professional goal to elevate the Fayetteville Marksmen to a 2-0 win over the Knoxville Ice Bears at the Crown Coliseum Friday.
The first home action for Fayetteville after a four-game, 2,000+ mile road trip started strong for the Marksmen, and they scored the eventual game-winning goal just over nine minutes in. A defensive-zone faceoff win to Aaron Ryback (4) started a play up the ice when the veteran chipped the puck out to the top of the zone for Austen Long to carry up ice. Long (3) entered the offensive zone along the far wall before firing in a chance that created a perfect bounce for Wilson to bury his first professional goal. The 1-0 tally held for the rest of the period, and Fayetteville took to the intermission with the lead on the scoreboard and a 13-8 shot advantage to accompany it.
The Marksmen continued their momentum through the beginning stages of the middle frame, and Alex Ambrosio (1) scored his first SPHL goal in his league debut to give Fayetteville a 2-0 lead at 4:39. The newest member of the team intercepted an Ice Bears outlet attempt at the blue line and skated in to light the lamp with a cut across the crease and add insurance. After falling behind by two, Knoxville picked up its intensity, and successful killed off a pair of penalties before getting a late powerplay to increase its zone time. Overall, Kenny faced 13 shots in the second, and would continue to feel rubber in the third.
Fayetteville was on its heels and only credited with two shots on goal in the final stanza but kept course by killing two penalties of its own, and got lock-down goaltending from Kenny, so recorded his second shutout of the season.
The Ice Bears and the Marksmen duel for the final time in the 2024-25 regular season Saturday at 6 p.m. when Fayetteville observes Viva La ‘Ville Night, a take on bringing the thrills of Las Vegas to the 9-1-0. Single-game tickets to Viva La ‘Ville and all home games are available at marksmenhockey.com.