GRAHAM HUNT NAMED SOUTH DIVISION STAR OF THE WEEK

Jan 4, 2016

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. – The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has named Corpus Christi IceRays goaltender Graham Hunt the Easton Hockey South Division Star of the Week, the league announced today. Hunt is the second player to earn top league honors this season following his four-win week in net.

“Well, I’m extremely happy and it’s nice to be named Star of the Week,” said Hunt, “but the way the team played was the best hockey we’ve played thus far this season, so it made my job really easy.”

In one of the most difficult weeks in IceRays junior franchise history, Hunt, 20, stood tall to help lead the team to four wins in a five-day span. The Concord, Mass., native played all four games last week for the IceRays and earned wins in all four games while keeping opponents to just six goals-against. In three of four games, he allowed one goal or less against, including his first shutout of the season on Friday in a 3-0 win in Topeka. Additionally, the netminder did so while traveling over 900 miles in less than a day between his previous game and the shutout. The consistent time in net has helped him settle in and find relief with the blanking of Topeka.

“It’s a little bit of a monkey off my back now that we’re into January. I think it got the whole team really fired up and helped us with a bit of momentum heading into that second game in Topeka. Any goalie will tell you that the more you play, the easier it is to get into a groove and find your rhythm, and that was definitely true this week.”

“It’s a well-deserved honor for Graham,” said IceRays head coach John Becanic. “Winning all five games during this streak. He was outstanding in Topeka, making several key saves at critical points of the game.”

Hunt now has five-straight wins in the team’s current five-game win streak and has started the team’s last seven games, improving to 9-8-2 on the season with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. He now ranks in the top-15 in goals-against average and save percentage. Hunt joins forward Andy McGlynn as the first two IceRays players to be given the weekly honor during the 2015-16 season and the seventh over the last six seasons in IceRays junior history.

The IceRays continue their six-game road swing on Friday, Jan. 8 in the first of a two-game set against the Wichita Falls Wildcats from the Kay Yeager Coliseum. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on SportsRadio Corpus Christi (KSIX 1230AM) and FASTHockey.com. The IceRays return to the American Bank Center on Thursday, Jan. 21 for the first of two games against the Topeka RoadRunners. Contact the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK or go to www.goicerays.com for details on season tickets along with pricing and seating. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Vine (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).