CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Coming off a bye week the Corpus Christi IceRays (33-14-5) find themselves in a busy stretch of three games in four days to kick off a seven game road trip to conclude the regular season. The IceRays run into the New Mexico Ice Wolves (27-20-6) for the final time tomorrow night in Albuquerque at the Outpost Ice Arenas, before heading back to the Lone Star State for a two game series with the Odessa Jackalopes (22-26-4) on Friday and Saturday at the Ector County Coliseum.
BROADCAST / GAME INFORMATION
Puck drop in Albuquerque is set for 7:30 CT on Wednesday, March 19, followed by a 7:15 CT puck drop on March 21 and 22 in Odessa this weekend. Single game tickets in New Mexico can be found HERE and tickets in Odessa can be found HERE.
Fans can catch the games on NATV or listen on Retro Radio Corpus Christi by downloading the Retro Radio Corpus Christi app on your smartphone and hear the “Voice of the IceRays” Joey Erickson all weekend long. The pregame show on NATV and Retro Radio CC will begin 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Wednesday and Fridays game will also be broadcasted on KDF-TV Corpus Christi.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
This is a crucial week for the IceRays who look to provide some separation between themselves and the Mudbugs in a battle for 2nd place and a first round bye in the Robertson Cup Playoffs. After last week the IceRays have three games in hand on Shreveport who trail them by two points with two more game head-to-head games remaining. New Mexico has not clinched a playoff berth but sit comfortably in 4th place with 60 points trying to lose El Paso in 5th with 57 points. The most fascinating battle within the division is between Colorado and Odessa for the final playoff spot in the South Division. The Grit currently hold the 6th position with a two point advantage over the Jackalopes who will not go away with eight games remaining.
OFFENSE IS BUZZING
The IceRays offense has come alive over their last ten games averaging 3.8 goals per game and scoring at least three goals in nine of those ten. A large part of their success has been the power play which has struck in four straight games and has gone 7-for-21 over the last five games. The IceRays are one of three teams in NAHL with at least five players that have hit the 40 point mark this season. The latest IceRay to hit 40 points is Defenseman Max Ranstrom who’s racked up 11 points in his last 10 games and ranks 6th among Defenseman scoring in the NAHL.
