TOPEKA, Kan. – For a second-consecutive night to start the 2019-20 NAHL season, the Corpus Christi IceRays and Topeka Pilots battled into overtime tied 3-3, but this time it was the Pilots (1-0-1-0, 3 pts.) picking up the extra point with a 4-3 win over the IceRays (1-0-0-1, 3 pts.) via shootout.
Shane Bull, Evan Carroll and Ryan Coughlin scored for the IceRays in regulation.
Bull’s goal was scored at the 8:50 mark of the first period, making him the first player in the NAHL to reach four goals this season.
Luke Suter (7:46) and Connor Zilisch (13:10) recorded goals in the second period to give the Pilots a 2-1 lead before Carroll tied the game for Corpus Christi with 1:20 remaining in the frame.
Topeka regained the lead 1:44 into the third period off Jordan Gonzalez’s second tally of the weekend. But once again, the IceRays had a response, as less than two minutes later Coughlin notched the team’s first power-play marker of the season off a feed from Erik Bargholtz.
Neither team could find the back of the net during overtime, thus sending the game to a shootout.
Topeka’s Alexander Oberg shot first in the shootout and was the only of six combined players to score.
Next up for the IceRays is the annual trip to the NAHL Showcase, playing four games in four days at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. The first game takes place Wednesday night at 8:00 PM CT against the St. Cloud Blizzard.
IceRays season ticket memberships are on sale now while single game tickets will go on sale later this month. For tickets or more information, call 361-814-PUCK (7825). Stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays) and goicerays.com.
