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Knoxville Ice Bears begin playoffs on Thursday

Tickets for Friday's game are available. The Ice Bears are the only SPHL team that has made every postseason.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Ice Bears start the Southern Professional Hockey League on Thursday against the Huntsville Havoc.

The Ice Bears are the only SPHL team that has made every postseason.

Their first game of the series is on the road and will be played at Huntsville's practice facility because Disney on Ice will occupy their main arena.

A few Ice Bears players said they've never played a professional hockey game in a practice facility. Their head coach Brent Clarke has a practice facility for Huntsville which is quite a coincidence.

The Ice Bears are the sixth seed this season. They were the one seed last season after winning the regular season title but were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by Roanoke.

"We've got a chip on our shoulder from last season," Ice Bears defenseman Tanner Salsberry said. "Winning the regular season title and then losing (the first round series) in three is not how we wanted it to turn out. I think all the guys that were here last year knows what it takes to win now. I think that's just a little added juice for the boys for them to come out tomorrow and in all three games and give them everything we've got."

Game one is at 8 p.m. in Huntsville on Thursday.

The Ice Bears will host game two in the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Friday at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are still on sale.

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