Corpus Christi, Texas – A night after 13 goals were put up on the scoreboard, goals were at a premium in the regular season finale for the host Corpus Christi IceRays and Odessa Jackalopes.
The IceRays the Odessa Jackalopes managed just two goals apiece before Michael Tavare broke a 1-1 tie in the third period to give the Jackalopes a 3-1 victory Friday night in front of a large crowd at American Bank Center.
Pierson Sobush netted a goal for Corpus Christi.
Tavare, Hayden DeMars, and Cameron Dunn scored the goals for Odessa. Dunn’s an empty-net goal in the final minute.
“It was a great game,” IceRays Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “A couple of mistakes at the end, but proud of the boys how they battled.”
The IceRays finished the season winning three of their last eight games and were 5-10-1, 0SOL in their last 16 games, 6-15-1, 0SOL in their last 22 contests and 10-18-1, 1SOL in their last 30 games.
Overall, the IceRays closed out the year at 19-35-3, 3SOL for 44 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, 10 points behind the Jackalopes for seventh, and 23 points behind the Warriors for sixth.
Odessa closed the regular season at 23-29-5, 3SOL for 54 points and finished 13 points behind the Oklahoma Warriors.
Sobush got the IceRays on the board with his 20th goal of the season from Stepan Kuznetsov and Troy Pelton at 9:56 of the first period.
Odessa tied the game at 1-1 early in the second period on a power-play goal by DeMars, his 18th of the season at 3:28 and the game remained tied after two periods of play.
The game remained deadlocked until Tavare scored his sixth goal of the season at 13:14 of the third period.
Dunn took advantage of a steal and put a shot into an empty net at 19:39 to seal the win.
Odessa outshot the IceRays 36-32. Bryant Marks made 32 saves for Corpus Christi.
Ivan Zhigalov stopped 31 shots for Odessa.
Corpus Christi was 0-for-7 on the power play, while Odessa was 1-for-7.
The IceRays wrapped up the season series 4-3-1, 0SOL against the Jackalopes this season.
For more information on the IceRays throughout the offseason, visit goicerays.com.
