CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Corpus Christi IceRays set new season-highs for goals and margin-of-victory Friday in an 8-2 thrashing of the Odessa Jackalopes at American Bank Center. Nicholas Seitz, who recorded his first career NAHL hat trick (3+1), and Santeri Hartikainen (2+2) each registered four points. Newcomers Brian George (31 saves) and Mitch Machlitt (2+1) shined in their first game with the IceRays.
Brian Kramer, Jack Smiley and Gordon Whalen each picked up a pair of assists in the win as Corpus Christi (11-11-1-0) hit the .500 mark for the first time this season, tying Odessa (11-12-0-1) for fifth place in the South Division with 23 points and with a game in hand.
The IceRays dominated possession in the first period, quintupling the Jackalopes in shots, 15-3. Seitz’ first of the night gave the IceRays a 1-0 lead at the break.
About five minutes into the second period, Seitz scored on a breakaway. Both of Seitz’ first two goals were assisted by Whalen. Four minutes later, the Jackalopes scored on a power-play tip by Rex Moe, but the IceRays received a pair of power-play tallies by Hartikainen, plus Nick Godfrey’s first goal of the season sandwiched in between, to carry a commanding 5-1 lead into the second intermission.
Seitz completed his hat trick, the IceRays’ second of the season, with a 4-on-3 power-play tally 97 seconds into the third period. Machlitt registered the IceRays’ final two goals with the latter marking Corpus Christi’s fourth power-play goal of the night.
The IceRays finished 4-for-11 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Corpus Christi outshot Odessa by a 46-33 margin.
The IceRays improved to 2-0-0-0 this season against Odessa with six games remaining, including four over the next eight nights, including Saturday’s Teddy Bear Toss night at American Bank Center.
Tickets for Saturday’s 7:05 PM game are available at a special holiday discount of just $10 for adults and $9 for children 12 and under. Fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears and other stuffed animals and throw them onto the ice in celebration of the IceRays’ first goal of the game. Participating fans can show their teddy bears at the IceRays table in the arena concourse to be registered to win a suite for a future IceRays game. The bears will be donated to multiple organizations within the community. Saturday also features pre-game (1-4 PM) and post-game public skating sessions presented by Braselton Homes, as well as an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest. More details are available at goicerays.com.
Single game tickets, season seat memberships, group tickets and suites for the remainder of the 2018-19 IceRays season are on sale now. Visit goicerays.com or call 361-814-PUCK (7825) for tickets or more information. Stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays) and Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays).
