Corpus Christi Faces Elimination Tomorrow Night
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (0-1-0) dropped the opening game of the Robertson Cup Play-In Series to the Shreveport Mudbugs (1-0-0) by a 7-2 final Friday night at George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum. The seven goals allowed mark the most ever surrendered in a playoff game in IceRays history. Corpus Christi will look to bounce back in Game 2 tomorrow.
“We didn’t have the start we needed, and it cost us,” said IceRays Head Coach Ryan Gil. “At this time of year, details matter, and we got away from our game early. The good thing is it’s a short series, we’ll regroup, clean things up, and be ready to respond tomorrow.”
Shreveport made an early statement, scoring three goals in the opening period before the IceRays could settle in. Former IceRay Grayson Gerhard opened the scoring just over a minute into the game, capping off a chaotic sequence in front of IceRays goaltender Xander Miceli. Minutes later, Evan Hoglund extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal. Corpus Christi was unable to stop the momentum, as Duke Ehrhard capitalized on a turnover to make it 3-0 just six minutes into the contest.
The Mudbugs added another in the final minute of the period, as William Alexis-Tremblay found the back of the net on the power play to give Shreveport a commanding 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The IceRays showed signs of life early in the second period when Islom Dzhabberganov scored from the blue line for Corpus Christi’s first goal of the night. However, the momentum was short-lived, as Jason Simons responded quickly to restore the four-goal cushion. Things worsened for the IceRays after a double minor for high-sticking put Shreveport back on the power play, where Ehrhard netted his second goal of the game to make it 6-1.
Ehrhard completed the hat trick just three minutes later, slipping a backhand past Gavin Melcher, who entered in relief of Miceli. The Mudbugs carried a 7-1 lead into the second intermission.
One of the few bright spots for Corpus Christi came in the third period, when the power-play unit snapped an 0-for-30 skid. James Chase tipped home a one-timer from Lucas Hihn for his first goal of the postseason. Shreveport goaltender Ethan Phillips closed out the game with 31 saves on 33 shots, securing a 7-2 victory and a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three set.
“We didn’t have the start we needed, and it cost us,” said IceRays head coach. “At this time of year, details matter, and we got away from our game early. The good thing is it’s a short series—we’ll regroup, clean things up, and be ready to respond tomorrow.”
NEXT GAME: ROBERTSON CUP PLAY-IN SERIES GAME #2
The IceRays will face elimination tomorrow night at George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum in Shreveport, Louisiana, for game 2. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 pm CT. Catch the pregame show on NAHLtv and Retro Radio CC 15 minutes ahead of puck drop.
TICKETS
Follow your IceRays to Shreveport with a special IceRays fan rate for tickets! Call 318-636-7094 and ask for Sabrina to qualify for special pricing!
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.
