Corpus Christi, Texas – It wasn’t the end of a road stretch the Corpus Christi IceRays wanted.
With a chance to win four games on a six-game road trek, the IceRays were forced to settle for three.
The IceRays fell to the New Mexico Ice Wolves 6-3 Saturday night at Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The IceRays closed out the road stretch at 3-3, which still isn’t bad.
“It’s disappointing,” IceRays Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “We were hoping to finish 4-2, not 3-3 on this road trip.”
Zakhar Polshakov, Dylan Jensen and Griffin Zaske netted the goals for Corpus Christi.
Michael Schermerhorn and Ryan Seelinger both scored a pair of goals New Mexico, while Bryce Johnson and Yusaku Ando each added one.
Corpus Christi has won three of its last six games and is 5-9-0, 0SOL in its last 14 games, 6-14-0, 0SOL in its last 20 contests and 10-17-0, 1SOL in its last 28 games.
Overall, the IceRays are 19-34-2, 3SOL for 43 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, seven points behind the Odessa Jackalopes for seventh, and 22 points behind the Warriors for sixth.
New Mexico is 32-18-6, 2SOL and in fourth place in the NAHL South with 72 points, four points in front of the Amarillo Wranglers.
The Ice Wolves outshot the IceRays 38-33.
Bryant Marks made 32 saves for the IceRays.
Neither team converted on the power play with Corpus Christi going 0-for-5 and New Mexico 0-for-3.
Schermerhorn got the Ice Wolves on the board with his 17th goal of the year at 4:05 of the first period, just getting the puck between the legs of Bryant Marks.
Polshakov got a loose puck at the right circle and played it near the net and past Andy Vlaha for his ninth goal of the year from Michael Valdez at 5:58 and the two teams went to the locker room knotted up at 1-1 after one period.
Johnson collected his 12 goal of the year at 5:05 of the second period to give New Mexico a 2-1 lead.
Jensen came back with his ninth at 6:59 to tie it.
New Mexico grabbed the lead for good on Seelinger’s 17th goal at 10:31 and Schermerhon’s 18th at 14:19.
Ando got his 22nd goal at 1:10 of the third period to make it 5-2 New Mexico.
Zaske came back on a shot from outside the blue line, which could have been considered a simple play towards the net which got past Vlaha for his third goal at 2:03.
The IceRays had a power play, but Seelinger scored his 18th goal on a breakaway for a shorthanded goal at 7:30 to close out the scoring.
The IceRays will conclude their season at home with games against the Odessa Jackalopes Thursday, April 4 and Friday, April 5 at 7:05 p.m. CDT at American Bank Center.
“Now we need to focus on getting ready for the last two at home and finish the season on a positive note for our fans,” Cloutier said.
You can watch the games on NAHL TV and listen on Brewster Street Radio.
For more information, visit goicerays.com.
