CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays will have a tough test to begin the 2013 North American Hockey League Showcase in Blaine, MN as they will take the ice with the Minot Minotauros who rebounded with a remarkable season last year storming into the playoffs.
Starting on Wednesday, September 18th at 10:15AM CST, the IceRays and Minot Minotauros will face-off. Corpus Christi’s second matchup the following day will be a 5:00PM CST draw with the Coulee Region Chill. For the third game on Friday also at 5:00PM CST, Corpus Christi will take on the Minnesota Wilderness who will be playing in their third ever NAHL game as an expansion team. Rounding out the Showcase, the IceRays will be the first game of the final day as they hit the ice with the Port Huron Fighting Falcons at 9:00AM CST.
With four games in as many days, head coach John Becanic says it will be a test of survival. “The showcase is a little bit of the survival of the fittest,” said the newly hired head coach. “Four games in four days is a grind for a team in mid-season shape, let alone at the beginning of the year. At that early of a point in the season our focus will be purely on our game. We will try to get better every game and continue to implement our structure.
Last season, Coulee Region struggled in a tough Central Division with a record of 16-39-5 which was last in the six team division. Minot on the other hand rebounded after a seven win season the year before with a playoff berth going 26-30-4 before losing in the first round. Port Huron also cruised into the NAHL playoffs finishing fourth in the eight team North Division notching a 32-24-4 record.
The NAHL Showcase Tournament is one of the most prominent events in junior hockey that attracts over 9,000 people in overall attendance. That includes over 300 professional, college and junior scouts. For more information about the NAHL Showcase, go to www.nahlshowcase.com.
The Showcase isn’t all about the NAHL as it is first event of the season for the NAPHL as well. NAPHL is made up of 32 teams that filter into the NAHL.
Season tickets for the 2013-2014 season of IceRays hockey are now on sale. Call the front office at 361-814-7825 for details or check out the pricing and seating chart online at www.goicerays.com.
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