WICHITA FALLS, TX – Jake Durflinger scored the first short-handed goal for the IceRays this season and it held up for the game winner in third period as the Corpus Christi IceRays split the weekend with a 4-2 victory over Wichita Falls on Saturday night inside Kay Yeager Coliseum.
Once again the Wildcats got on the board first and when they do their record is 10-0-1. At 10:17 of the opening period, Will Vosejpka fired a shot that was stopped by IceRays goaltender Forbes Ploszaj rebounding the puck right out into the slot. It was picked up by Hogan Davisdon who quickly let a wrist shot go that beat Ploszaj and gave Wichita Falls a 1-0 lead. The lone assist went to Vosejpka.
Corpus Christi answered on the power-play which went 0-5 in last night’s loss. Luke Bennett and Nick Monfils went hard to the net on the man advantage drawing the attention of the defenders who took them both out. That left the puck right in the slot for Wes Michaud who slid down and fired it by Wildcats goaltender Chase Munroe at the 12:52 mark of the first period to tie the game up 1-1. The goal was unassisted. After the first period, Wichita Falls had a 14-7 shot lead over Corpus Christi.
In the second period, Michaud picked up his second goal of the night on a great passing play. Joe Chitwood fired a pass to Tony Roisum, and Roisum gave it right to Michaud who instantly ripped the puck top shelf over the shoulder of Chase Munroe at 7:24 of the middle frame for a 2-1 lead, their first of the weekend.
Late in the second period Wichita Falls answered to tie the game up. Jordan Jancze sent a puck right through the crease and waiting on the backdoor was Josh Haverstrom. After a couple attempts, Haverstrom finally got a good touch on the puck sending it by a diving Forbes Ploszaj knotting the game up 2-2 with only 1:51 left to go in the second period.
Corpus Christi had not scored a short-handed goal all season until the third period and it couldn’t come at a better time. As the Wildcats were on the man advantage Jake Durflinger knocked down a puck at the blueline and picked it up for a breakaway chance. The back-checker caught up to Durflinger but not before he slid the puck underneath Chase Munroe for a 3-2 go ahead goal at 4:16 of the third period. The goal was unassisted.
With Munroe pulled, Martin Hojbjerg intercepted a pass and went down the ice scoring the empty net goal, his team leading 9th on the year sealing the 4-2 win. That was the first divisional win for the IceRays on the road all season and ended a ten game road losing skid.
Forbes Ploszaj denied 25 of 27 shots on net in the victory.
The IceRays are on the road next weekend as the take on the Odessa Jackalopes on Friday and Saturday night. Puck drops at 7:17PM, coverage begins at 7:00PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on 91.1FM KSGR, ksgr.org, ustream.com, and fasthockey.com. For more info, click LISTEN LIVE on the IceRays website.
Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.goicerays.com. In addition stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/corpuschristiicerays), Twitter (@goicerays), and the team’s Youtube channel ICERAYS TV (@goicerays)
