The IceRays Weekly is a weekly recap and preview of IceRays news, games, and more. The IceRays Weekly will be released every Monday during the 2014-15 season.
LAST WEEK…
Saturday, December 27: RGV Killer Bees 1, IceRays 2 (OT)
Shots: Killer Bees 22, IceRays 30
PP: Killer Bees 1-for-4, IceRays 1-for-6
The Corpus Christi IceRays (16-10-4) rode on the wings of two Nic LaBurn goals to claim a 2-1 overtime win against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (10-15-5) from the American Bank Center. The IceRays close out their first half with three-straight wins.
The Killer Bees struck first on the power play when forward Guy Roby (7:25, 1st) stuffed the puck home on a multi-chance play to give the road side a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Anthony Cortese and forward Ryan Cusin worked together to find LaBurn (18:31, 2nd) on the far side of the net to tie the game, 1-1, on the power play. In overtime, LaBurn (3:12, OT) answered the call again on a second chance play to claim the 2-1 win.
Andrew Lindgren (12-6-2) picked up the win, saving 21 of 22 shots, while Killer Bees netminder Nick Schmit (3-7-2) earned the loss on a 28-save effort in 30 shots faced.
THIS WEEK…
Thursday, January 1, 2015 @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 2, 2015 @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees – 7:30 p.m.
The Corpus Christi IceRays will embark on the new year and the second half of the season with a two-game set on the road against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees from State Farm Arena. Thursday's game is the sixth game of the South Texas Vo Tech Cup, with the IceRays taking the series lead 3-2-0 after Saturday night's win on home ice. In their last trip to Hidalgo, the IceRays were swept 1-0 and 5-3 in their two games. Neither side has lost against one another at home this season.
The IceRays (16-10-4) still remain fourth in the South Division, but with two points on Saturday the squad moved within six points of both the Wichita Falls Wildcats (21-7-0) and the Lone Star Brahmas (20-8-2) for second place. They also jump to seven points ahead of the fifth place Wenatchee Wild (12-15-5). The Killer Bees (10-15-5) now move into a tie for sixth place with the Amarillo Bulls (11-5-3) thanks to their overtime loss on Saturday.
South Division Matchups:
Lone Star Brahmas (T-2nd) @ RGV Killer Bees (T-6th) – Mon. – 6:00 p.m.
Wichita Falls Wildcats (T-2nd) @ Amarillo Bulls (T-6th) – Wed. & Fri. – 7:05 p.m.
Wenatchee Wild (5th) @ Topeka RoadRunners (1st) – Thu. (3:05 p.m.), Fri. & Sat. (7:05 p.m.)
Odessa Jackalopes (8th) @ Lone Star Brahmas (T-2nd) – Fri. & Sat. – 7:30 p.m.
Amarillo Bulls (T-6th) @ Wichita Falls Wildcats (T-2nd) – Sat. – 7:05 p.m.
ICERAYS BITS…
The IceRays have now won two-straight games in at least overtime for the first time in three seasons. The last time the IceRays won two-straight games post-regulation was Jan. 7, 2012 at Amarillo (3-2 SO) and Jan. 12 against Odessa (2-1 SO), the same score of the past two IceRays wins. The IceRays played back-to-back games of extra time twice last season with the most recent coming on Nov. 10, 2013 against Amarillo (4-3 OTL) and Nov. 15, 2013 at Odessa (3-2 SOL).
Forward Nic LaBurn added his sixth power play goal of the season, making the second IceRays player to score at least that number this season (Wes Michaud, 6). Both LaBurn and Michaud now rank tied for seventh in the NAHL in power play goals. As a team, the IceRays have scored power play goals in four of their last six games while breaking a two-game skid.
The IceRays own the second-longest active home winning streak in the NAHL with nine-straight wins. They only trail Lone Star (16) for first. Their nine wins is also the second longest streak of the season, only trailing Lone Star's current streak The IceRays also have the fourth-best home points percentage (.889) in the NAHL, trailing only Lone Star (.941), the Minnesota Wilderness (.929), and Topeka (.921) for top marks.
IN THE COMMUNITY…
The IceRays visited the Ronald McDonald House on Sunday evening to help feed the families living within the community. The team will be visiting again in a couple weeks as part of the IceRays' efforts to give back to the Corpus Christi community.
– Go IceRays –
