ODESSA, TX – Heading into the third period scoreless with Odessa, the Corpus Christi IceRays scored four unanswered goals including the game winner by Nick Monfils as Ben Myers stopped all 23 shots he faced for a 4-0 win over the Jackalopes on Friday night inside Ector County Coliseum.
Corpus Christi had a great scoring chance early in the game and they thought it was for a 1-0 lead. However, as Wes Michaud took the shot, Odessa goaltender Eric Hancock went post-to-post and booted the net off the pegs as the puck crossed the line and the goal was waved off. After the first period, the shots on net were in favor of the IceRays 12-8 and the two teams were scoreless.
In the second period of play both sides had chances on the power-play but could not convert to break the deadlocked score. Odessa went 0-2 on the man advantage in period two while the IceRays were unable to score on their only chance of the period. Through 40 minutes of play, Corpus Christi had the 17-14 shot advantage.
The IceRays held all the scoring until the third period and it started at the 1:27 mark as the puck went off the left wing wall, Joe Chitwood spun around letting a slapshot go keeping it low and on the short side. Odessa goaltender Eric Hancock didn’t see the puck as it went by him for the go ahead goal and eventual game winner! Assists were picked up by Tony Roisum and Caleb O’Brien.
Corpus Christi moved out to a 2-0 lead courtesy of the birthday boy Nick Monfils! Wes Michaud took a nice shot on net that was denied by Hancock but Monfils was right there waiting for the rebound and he buried his fourth of the season for a 2-0 lead at 7:47 of the third. Michaud had the first assist with Martin Hojbjerg with the secondary assist.
With the ‘Rays up 2-0, Luke McDiarmid pulled the puck out of the corner and drove his way to the net forcing a wrap-around attempt that was stopped by Hancock. Luke Bennett located the rebound and scored his sixth goal on the season with Kyle Froese adding the other assist and Corpus Christi pulled away with a 3-0 advantage.
With time winding down in the third period, Jake Durflinger recorded his seventh goal on the year with another rebound goal by Corpus Christi this time assisted by Sami Pokka and Connor Kelly with just 36 seconds left in the game to seal a 4-0 shutout victory.
Ben Myers recorded his third shutout on the season denying all 23 shots he faced from the Odessa Jackalopes.
The IceRays finish the series out with Odessa tomorrow night inside Ector County Coliseum. Puck drops at 7:17PM, coverage begins at 7:00PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on 91.1FM KSGR, ksgr.org, ustream.com, and fasthockey.com. Click “Listen Live” on the IceRays website for more information!
Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.goicerays.com. In addition stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/corpuschristiicerays), Twitter (@goicerays), and the team’s Youtube channel ICERAYS TV (@goicerays)
