N.RICHLAND HILLS, TX – Three goals in the second period was all the Lone Star Brahmas needed on Friday night as they shutout the Corpus Christi IceRays 3-0 with goals from Michael Crowley, Conner Enciso, and Alexey Solovyev in front of 1,136 fans at the NYTEX Sports Complex.
Corpus Christi faced adversity in the first losing both Caleb O’Brien and Jake McNamara. O’Brien suffered an injury in the first frame while Jake McNamara was ejected for fighting with an instigator. With the team down two defenders, Corpus Christi faced a 7min penalty kill and was able to come through as the penalty killing unit denied all chances and kept the game scoreless to start the second period.
Lone Star finally clicked and took a 1-0 lead off an offensive zone turnover by the IceRays. Connor Kelly dropped the puck back to Wes Michaud who over skated it and the Brahmas took the puck back the other way. Michael Crowley ended up with the puck in the slot and wristed his second goal of the season by IceRays goaltender Forbes Ploszaj for a 1-0 lead just 3:02 into the second period. Assists were credited to Paul Fregeau and Donovan Gardiner.
The Brahmas struck again with only 1:46 left in the second period. Conner Enciso let a wrister go from the right wing circle that beat Ploszaj over his left shoulder on the short-side for a 2-0 lead. The goal was Enciso’s fifth on the season and was assisted by Todd Koritzinsky and Kellen Wasell.
Just when the IceRays though they would escape the period down on by a pair of goals the Brahmas tallied another. Alexey Solovyev took a Matt Lison pass a rocketed it by Ploszaj from the top of the left wing circle for a 3-0 lead with only 28 seconds remaining in the middle period. The secondary assist was picked up by Sebastian Vidmar. For Solovyev, it was his fifth goal of the year from the blueline.
Forbes Ploszaj stopped 26 of 29 shots in the IceRays’ third straight loss.
The IceRays finish out the series in Lone Star tomorrow night inside NYTEX Sports Complex. Puck drops at 7:30PM, coverage begins at 7:15PM 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 broadcast 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)
