Corpus Christi, Texas – The Corpus Christi IceRays started off strong and needed an extra session to get past the host Oklahoma Warriors 3-2 in overtime Friday night at the Blazers Ice Centre.
The IceRays are coming off a road two-game sweep against the Odessa Jackalopes last weekend.
Michael Valdez scored the game-winner 46 seconds into overtime to give the IceRays the lead.
The goal came moments after former IceRay captain Anthony Cafarelli missed a wide-open net on a shot. He also had a breakaway that was thwarted by Corpus Christi goaltender Bryant Marks.
Valdez scored two goals and Troy Pelton added another for the IceRays.
“Valdez had a great game for us,” IceRays Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “It was a great team win and nice to see the guys get rewarded for all the hard work they put in.”
Cafarelli and Branko Vukas scored goals for Oklahoma.
Corpus Christi has won three straight games and is 5-6-0, 0SOL in its last 11 games, 6-11-0, 0SOL in its last 17 contests and 10-14-0, 1SOL in its last 25 games.
Overall, the IceRays are 19-31-2, 3SOL for 43 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, six points behind the Odessa Jackalopes for seventh, and 16 points behind the Warriors for sixth.
Oklahoma is 26-22-5, 2SOL for 56 points and in sixth place in the NAHL South, five points behind the New Mexico Ice Wolves and seven points behind the Amarillo Wranglers. The Warriors clinched the playoffs with the point.
Pelton gave the IceRays a 1-0 lead with his fourth of the season at 2:32 of the first period.
Valdez scored from Zakhar Polshakov and Wolfgang Govedaris at 5:35 to give Corpus Christi a 2-0 lead after one period.
Neither team could score in the second period.
Cafarelli got Oklahoma on the board with his 19th goal of the season at 12:52 of the third period to cut the IceRays lead in half at 2-1.
Vukas scored his second of the year at 16:35 to send the game to OT.
Valdez scored his second of the game from Govedaris and Polshakov at 46 seconds of the overtime.
Oklahoma outshot the IceRays 51-30.
Marks was outstanding, stopping 49 of the 51 shots he faced.
“Marks played unbelievable,” Cloutier said. “He made some big saves for us and gave us a chance to win.”
The IceRays were 0-for-2 on the power play while Oklahoma was 0-for-2.
The IceRays and Warriors will meet again Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. CDT at the Blazers Ice Centre.
You can watch the game this weekend on NAHL TV.
For more information, visit goicerays.com.
