CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Brett Abdelnour scored 7:06 into overtime of Game 3 Thursday as the Amarillo Bulls kept their season alive with a 4-3 win against the Corpus Christi IceRays at American Bank Center. The fourth-seeded IceRays tied the game three times in regulation but were unable to complete the best-of-five South Division Semi-Finals sweep as Game 4 is now necessary for Friday night in Corpus Christi.
All three games so far in the series have been one-goal finishes with the last two contests needing overtime. Coltan Wilkie, Anthony Firriolo and Blake Bennett scored for Corpus Christi. Brian George made 42 saves.
Game 4 will mark the final game at American Bank Center this season. If the IceRays advance to the South Division Finals, the team’s home games will take place at a different, to-be-determined arena due to a known scheduling conflict at American Bank Center (rodeo).
2019 NAHL Robertson Cup Playoffs – South Division Semi-Finals
1-Amarillo Bulls vs. 4-Corpus Christi IceRays
Corpus Christi leads best-of-five series 2-1
Gm. 1 Friday, April 12 at AmarilloW 6-5
Gm. 2 Saturday, April 13 at Amarillo W 6-5 (OT)
Gm. 3 Thursday, April 18 AMERICAN BANK CENTER L 3-4 (OT)
Gm. 4 Friday, April 19 AMERICAN BANK CENTER 7:05 PM
*Gm. 5 Monday, April 22 at Amarillo 7:05 PM
*if necessary
Abdelnour scored his first of two goals, and three points, on the night just 3:07 into the game to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead. The IceRays responded at 7:38 with Wilkie’s shot from the left point, marking the co-captain’s first goal in the North American Hockey League. Jake Willets regained the lead for the Bulls prior to the first intermission by connecting on a give-and-go with Abdelnour.
Firriolo tied the game with a shot from the left point that pinged off an Amarillo defenseman at 9:14 of the second period. However, the IceRays would head into the second intermission down by a goal as Alex Peterson regained the lead for the visitors at 12:43.
Bennett tied the game for the IceRays midway through the third period, receiving a pass from Che Landikusic and firing a shot from the left circle that beat goaltender Jason Grande on the glove side.
Abdelnour’s game-winner was scored on a blocker side from the left wing off a Logan Jenuwine feed redirected to Abdelnour by Peterson.
The Bulls outshot the IceRays 46-39, including 7-3 in overtime.
All tickets for Game 4 are just $10 courtesy of AutoNation. Tickets are on sale through all Ticketmaster outlets and the American Bank Center Box Office, which opens Friday at 10:00 AM.
All playoff games, home and away, can be heard live on Sportsradio Corpus Christi (1230 AM – 95.1 FM – 96.1 FM) and mixlr.com/icerays, as well as viewed in HD on HockeyTV (iPPV).
For more information on the IceRays, visit goicerays.com or call 361-814-PUCK (7825).
