SCHMIDBAUER, SCHMIT LIFT KILLER BEES OVER ‘RAYS 3-0

Mar 11, 2014

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Evan Schmidbauer scored a pair of goals including the game winner while goaltender Nick Schmit denied all 23 chances he faced as the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees took a 5-3 series lead in the South Texas VO-Tech Cup with a 3-0 shutout of the Corpus Christi IceRays at American Bank Center on Wednesday night.

The first goal of the game didn’t come until 29:12 into the game.  After no scoring in the first period, Anthony Croston moved down the left wing wall and in behind the net going to a possible wrap-around goal.  The puck slid off the end of his blade and went right to Evan Schmidbauer who had a tap in goal for his 15th of the season at 9:12 of the second period for a 1-0 Killer Bee lead.  Croston picked up the first assist while Jared Dedenbach added the other. 

In the final period of play the power-play came through for the Killer Bees for a two goal lead and it was Schmidbauer once again, this time with his 16th of the year.  RJ Burns sent the puck to Schmidbauer who was going to the net, angling his stick to get a deflection that found a way by goaltender Ben Myers for a 2-0 lead at the 12:27 mark of the middle period.  Burns had one assist while Dallas Gerads collected his first NAHL point with the secondary assist.

Another great passing play provided the Killer Bees with a three goal lead courtesy of assistant captain Ben Greiner.  With Matt McArdle along the right wing wall, Greiner went around the defense and to the net.  McArdle saw the move and ripped a pass to the front of the net that Greiner quickly lifted over Ben Myers for his 21st of the year and a 3-0 lead for Rio Grande Valley.  Assists from McArdle and Kevin Antipov. 

The held up as the final with Nick Schmit picking up a 23 save shutout in the Killer Bees win.

The IceRays have a weekend off and return to action on Saturday night, March 22nd in the valley as they take on the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees inside State Farm Arena.  Puck drops at 7:05PM, coverage begins at 6:50PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on 91.1FM KSGR, ksgr.org, ustream.com, and fasthockey.com. 

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