Corpus Christi erases two-goal deficit in 3rd period to secure first shootout win
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (3-3-0) stormed back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to defeat the Odessa Jackalopes (3-1-2) in a shootout, 5-4, Friday night at the Hilliard Center.
“I’m incredibly proud of the way our guys battled tonight,” said IceRays Head Coach Kevin St. Jacques. “We faced adversity, stayed composed, and found a way to win. That kind of resilience — especially coming from behind and finishing it off in a shootout — says a lot about the character in our locker room.”
The high-flying Jackalopes lived up to their reputation early, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the opening five minutes on a goal by Caden Ghiossi — his sixth career tally against Corpus Christi. Odessa extended their lead on the power play with a hard wrist shot from Shea Barry. Just before the end of the first, the IceRays went on their first man advantage of the night, and rookie forward Chase Nehring tipped home his first career NAHL goal to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into intermission.
Odessa quickly restored their two-goal cushion when Carson Lynch and Daniel Kuczkowski connected for the Jackalopes’ third of the night. The IceRays answered before the halfway mark of the second period when Marc-Alexandre Richard buried a rebound for his second goal of the season, making it 3-2. Looking for an equalizer, the IceRays found themselves shorthanded once again, and Odessa capitalized. Hunter Toms fired a shot that deflected off a Corpus Christi player and past goaltender Vladislav Bryzgalov, giving the Jackalopes a 4-2 lead. But just like two weeks ago, the IceRays mounted a third-period comeback.
The first 10 minutes of the final frame remained scoreless until forward William Stewart sniped a top-shelf goal to pull Corpus Christi within one. With under two minutes left, the IceRays pulled Bryzgalov for the extra attacker. Moments later, in his IceRays debut, Grayson Cohen pounced on a loose puck and fired home the tying goal, sending the game to overtime at 4-4.
Both teams traded chances in the 3-on-3 overtime, but Bryzgalov and Jackalopes netminder Kevin Jones held strong, pushing the contest to a shootout.
After both first-round shooters were denied, Grayson Gerhard ripped a shot off the post and in to give the IceRays the edge. Odessa’s Jeremy Jacobs answered back, beating Bryzgalov to keep it alive. That set up Easton Swift with a chance to seal it. Gliding in slowly, Swift fired a shot through the armpit of Jone, barely squeaking through and bouncing across the line for the shootout winner. It was the first shootout victory of the season for the IceRays by a final score of 5-4.
NEXT HOME GAME
The IceRays and Jackalopes face off one final time in their two-game series tomorrow night at the Hilliard Center, with puck drop set for 7:05 p.m. Catch the action live with the pregame show on NAHLTV and Retro Radio CC App beginning at 6:50 p.m.
Tickets start at just $5!
Get yours now at www.goicerays.com, through Ticketmaster, or at the Hilliard Center box office!
About Corpus Christi IceRays: The Corpus Christi IceRays, a member of the North American Hockey League playing out of the Hilliard Center in downtown Corpus Christi, TX. For more information or for all your ticketing needs, contact the IceRays Front Office at (361)-814-PUCK or visit www.GoIceRays.com . You can also follow the team through their social media platforms: Facebook @goicerays, Instagram @iceraysnahl, and Twitter @iceraysnahl
About North American Hockey League: Celebrating its 50th season in 2024-25, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 35 teams in 20 states from North American. For more information, visit the NAHL website at https://nahl.com/
About Hilliard Center: Hilliard Center is an entertainment complex owned by the city of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group with OVG Hospitality. The complex is in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas and consists of an arena, auditorium, and convention center. The facility hosts numerous conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, live performances, and sporting events. Located directly on the beautiful Corpus Christi Bay downtown, Hilliard Center is flexible for any group offering complimentary Wi-Fi and premium food and beverage options.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
