SHREVEPORT, LA – The Corpus Christi IceRays (23-9-3) were stunned on Saturday night at George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum on a buzzer beater in regulation by the Shreveport Mudbugs (21-14-1) to sweep the IceRays by a final score of 4-3.
The 1st period was pretty quiet compared to the rest of the night and both net-minders shined in the opening frame. Vladislav Bryzgalov for the IceRays made his fourth start of the season against the Mudbugs and stopped all nine shots fired his way in the first. On the flip side Nikola Goich for the Mudbugs matched Bryzgalov with eights saves as his own. Cody Kempf had the best look of the period on a rebound chance in the slot that he just pushed wide. No penalties and no goals were recorded in the opening period to sending the IceRays to the dressing room in a scoreless tie.
After a flurry late in the 1st period, Corpus Christi was able to build off the momentum and control more of the play in the opening 10 minutes of the middle frame. With the game in the balance Pierson Sobush sprung Will Reardon on a breakaway that was turned aside by Goich and sending the puck to a dead spot at the edge of the right circle. With no help in site Goich darts out towards the puck to try to swat it away but as soon as he went to dive Reardon recovered his own rebound and sent a shot towards the open net through a Mudbugs defender and into the cage to give the IceRays their first lead of the weekend 1-0. Corpus Christi and Shreveport traded chances the rest of the period, but the score would hold heading into the final period.
The IceRays one goal advantage was quickly erased and flipped on its side as Shreveport stole a page out of their book from last night and scored twice in the opening two minutes to have the Mudbugs on top 2-1. Playing from behind for the first time the IceRays relied on the trio of Kempf, Sobush and Pelton to carry the load offensively. It was just a matter of time before they would find the equalizer and it cam from the Captain Sobush who jammed a puck home to tie the game at two. With restored confidence the IceRays kept the pedal down and Sobush and Kempf would create another chance and this time Kempf would have rebound go off his skate and into the net to restore a one goal lead for Corpus Christi. The IceRays hopes of holding on would be quickly dashed by a deflection by Carter Mckay to tie the game at three a piece. Just when you thought the game was going to overtime Mckay would send a shot on net, jump on the rebound, circle the net and wrap it into the back of the net with just two seconds left in regulation to stun the IceRays and take this one 4-3.
