ODESSA, TX – Nick Felan scored a third period goal to tie the game and force extra time, however in the shootout, Joey Palumbo with a goal in round four sealed the win for the Odessa Jackalopes 3-2 over the Corpus Christi IceRays on Friday night inside the Ector County Coliseum.
After Cory Sikich took a penalty at 5:24 of the opening frame, the Jackalopes converted on the ensuing power-play. Andrew McLean found Connor Chambers along with left wing wall who found Razmuz Waxin-Enback waiting in the high slot. Waxin-Enback fired a wrister that beat goaltender Ben Myers just 6:38 into the game for a Jackalopes 1-0 lead. After the first period, the shots were 11-7 in favor of Odessa.
In the second period the IceRays pulled even off the stick of Lucas Bennett. Going down the right wing wall, Bennett took a long pass and fought his way around the Jackalopes defender letting go a low wrist shot that somehow snuck by ‘Jacks goaltender Eric Hancock and off the inside of the right post to tie the game at one goal apiece 14:36 into the second period with assists from Caleb O’Brien and Jake McNamara.
A great passing play gave the Jackalopes the 2-1 lead early in the third period. Connor Thie went down the left wing side of the ice and found a wide open Derek Brown waiting in the slot for a one-timer, beating Myers to take the lead just 2:26 into the final period of action.
Corpus Christi once again was forced to comeback and that they did. Nick Felan scored his second goal of the season from the bottom of the right wing circle. Felan took a pass from Lucas Bennett who recorded his second point of the game and fired the puck behind Eric Hancock at 10:28 of the third period to eventually force overtime.
After back and forth action in overtime and no scoring the two sides decided the outcome in a shootout. In the shootout, Joey Palumbo picked up the game winner for Odessa and the IceRays are now 0-7 when games go past 60 minutes of play.
Ben Myers denied 28 of 30 shots in the loss.
The IceRays finish out the series with Odessa tomorrow night inside Ector County Coliseum. Puck drops at 7:17PM, coverage begins at 7:00PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on 91.1FM KSGR, ksgr.org, ustream.com, LISTEN LIVE on the IceRays website, and fasthockey.com.
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)
