IceRays Outshoot Wranglers 36-22
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (26-20-6, 4th) fell to the Amarillo Wranglers (19-29-4) in overtime by a final score of 4-3 Friday night at the Hilliard Center. The IceRays picked up a crucial point in their playoff push with seven games remaining in the regular season.
“We battled all night and showed a lot of character coming back and tying it late,” said the IceRays Head Coach Kevin St. Jacques. “You’d always like the second point, but this time of year every point matters. Our guys kept pushing and we’ll take that effort into tomorrow.”
Corpus Christi opened the game on the front foot, peppering Wranglers goaltender Casimir Weckstrom, who was sharp early. The IceRays pressure led to the first power play of the night in search of an early lead. Despite some quality chances late in the man advantage, Weckstrom turned aside all three shots he faced to keep the game scoreless.
The Wranglers followed with a power play of their own but failed to convert against Xander Miceli, who was searching for his sixth straight win in net for Corpus Christi. As the period wound down, Amarillo rushed up the ice and found Tiernan O’Rourke trailing the play. His shot deflected off a stick and past Miceli to give the Wranglers a 1-0 lead late in the period. Daniel Rassega and Caden Hegarty recorded the assists on the opening tally through 20 minutes.
The IceRays pushed early in the second period, and it was the newest IceRay, Jeffrey Saul Jr., finding the back of the net on a breakaway to tie the game at 1-1. The game remained tied midway through the period as Weckstrom and Miceli went toe-to-toe in net, holding both offenses in check.
Amarillo then received a golden opportunity on the power play after a double minor for high-sticking against Corpus Christi. It took just 15 seconds for Yury Karatai to rip a wrist shot into the top corner to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead. After Amarillo failed to extend the lead during the remaining power play time, the IceRays responded following an offensive-zone faceoff win. Defenseman Sam Troutwine sifted a wrist shot past Weckstrom to even the game at 2-2.
Just when it appeared the game would remain tied after two periods, a late break for the Wranglers resulted in Frenk Kolgushkin burying a rebound in the final minute to give Amarillo a 3-2 advantage heading into the third.
Desperation set in for the IceRays in the final period as they searched for the tying goal. Weckstrom was excellent for Amarillo, finishing the night with 33 saves. Corpus Christi outshot Amarillo 14-6 in the third period, and the sustained pressure eventually led to a late power play.
The IceRays capitalized on their third opportunity of the night when Nikita Konevych found Jack Mackenzie on the backdoor for the tying goal. Mackenzie’s seventh of the season knotted the game at 3-3 and forced overtime.
Corpus Christi controlled much of the possession in overtime but struggled to generate clean looks on Weckstrom. After four and a half minutes of back-and-forth action, a save by Miceli stopped play and set up a faceoff to his left.
Amarillo won the draw cleanly back to Karatai, who fired a shot past Miceli from the top of the circle to secure the Wranglers’ first win since Feb. 20 by a final score of 4-3.
Despite the loss, the IceRays strengthened their hold on fourth place after both Oklahoma and Shreveport suffered defeats Friday night. Corpus Christi now sits at 58 points, four ahead of Shreveport and five ahead of Oklahoma in the playoff race.
NEXT GAME
The IceRays wrap up the season series with the Wranglers tomorrow night at the Hilliard Center on Old Time Hockey Night presented by Hilliard Law! Puck drop at 7:05 p.m. CT.
Saturday is OLD Time Hockey Night!
- Presented by Hillard Law
- Special Meet & Greet Autograph Session during 2nd Intermission
- Specialty Slapshot Themed Jerseys
- Post Game Skate with the IceRays & Steve Carlson presented by RTFC
- Jersey Auction on DASH
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW
Tickets start at just $5! Student and Active Military Tickets are available at the Hilliard Center Box Office with valid ID.
Grab yours now at www.goicerays.com, on 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 Corpus Christi’s premier entertainment and event complex, proudly owned by the City of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group. Named in partnership with Hilliard Law, a firm dedicated to service and community, the waterfront venue features a state-of-the-art arena, the historic Selena Auditorium, and a versatile convention center overlooking the scenic Corpus Christi Bay. With adaptable spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and premium food and beverage offerings, Hilliard Center is designed to deliver exceptional experiences as South Texas’ home for live entertainment, conventions, and community gatherings.
Visit HilliardCenter.com and follow the Hilliard Center on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok for the latest news and event updates.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the Company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
