KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Ryan Senft turned aside 43 shots, and Richmond converted twice on special teams in the third period to defeat the Knoxville Ice Bears 3-0 last night, the surging Renegades' eighth straight victory.

Richmond, which has won 10 of 11 and hasn't lost since Jan. 3, nursed a second-period goal by Clay Lewis into the third period and pulled away on a power-play score by Justin Joy and unassisted short-handed goal by Donald Melnyk.

The Renegades (17-13-2) moved into a second-place tie with Columbus and moved to four points of the league-leading Ice Bears.

Senft has two shutouts in his past four starts, blanking Twin City 1-0 on Jan. 16.

Richmond ------------------------- 0 1 2 - 3
Knoxville ------------------------- 0 0 0 - 0

First Period - None. Penalties - Swider, Rich (boarding), :59; Lyke, Rich (roughing), 7:14; Craigen, Knox (tripping), 8:43; Craigen, Knox, major (fighting), 12:23; Norris, Rich, major (fighting), 12:33; Lewis, Rich (tripping), 12:39; Vandermeer, Rich (slashing), 15:47; Swider, Rich (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:52.

Second Period - 1, Richmond, Lewis 1 (Karasiewicz, Joy), 10:47. Penalties - Karasiewicz, Rich (hooking), 3:02; Kindret, Knox (holding), 4:11; Harris, Knox (cross checking), 8:01; Lyke, Rich (hooking), 11:33.

Third Period - 2, Richmond, Joy 8 (Madeiros, Vandermeer), 11:20. 3, Richmond, Melnyk 15, 17:29 (sh).

Shots on goal - Richmond 9-10-8 - 27. Knoxville 15-16-12 - 43. Power-play opportunities - Richmond 1 for 7; Knoxville 0 for 9. Goalies - Richmond, Senft 10-5-0 (43 shots-43 saves). Knoxville, Irving 7-6-3 (27-24). Referee - Kevin Graber. A - 3,925.