Xander Miceli Turns Aside 20 Shots in his Second Shutout this Season
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (17-15-3) swept the Shreveport Mudbugs (15-14-6) in shutout fashion Saturday night at the Hilliard Center, skating to a dominant 6-0 victory. Xander Miceli turned aside all 20 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season, as the IceRays outscored the Mudbugs 10-1 over the two-game series.
It was all Corpus Christi from the opening puck drop in the first period, as the IceRays outshot Shreveport 16-5. Both teams failed to convert on their first power-play opportunities, but Corpus Christi wasted no time generating offense following a successful penalty kill. Andrej Paricka found Justin Thibault in the slot, who buried his eighth goal of the season to give the IceRays a 1-0 lead. Just 14 seconds later, Johnny Maruna doubled the advantage with a highlight-reel individual effort, finishing with a snapshot into the top corner to make it 2-0. Penalty trouble followed for the IceRays, giving Shreveport an extended 5-on-3 opportunity, but Corpus Christi’s penalty kill stood tall to preserve the two-goal lead heading into intermission.
The Mudbugs threw everything they had at Miceli in the second period, marking his fourth consecutive start. The IceRays netminder was sensational between the pipes, making several highlight-reel saves to keep Shreveport off the scoreboard. The Mudbugs outshot Corpus Christi 12-9 in the frame and had the benefit of two power plays but still could not find the back of the net. The IceRays penalty kill finished a perfect five-for-five through two periods and nine-for-nine over the series, as Corpus Christi carried a 2-0 lead into the final period.
Corpus Christi brought the Hilliard Center crowd to its feet in the third period, erupting for four goals over the final 13 minutes of regulation. Easton Swift sparked the surge by batting a midair pass from Maruna past the goaltender to make it 3-0. Maruna capped off a three-point night, recording his eighth multi-point game of the season. Alexandr Skuratov added to the lead by wiring home his first career NAHL goal to extend the advantage to 4-0. The IceRays kept the pressure on, as captain Marc-Alexandre Richard scored his fifth of the season before Nick Sinani sealed the scoring with a shorthanded goal, bringing the total to six. Sinani has now scored in three straight games, with two of those goals coming shorthanded.
Miceli needed just three saves in the final period to secure the shutout and complete the 6-0 victory. The sweep marked the fifth home-ice sweep of the season for the IceRays.
NEXT SERIES
The Corpus Christi IceRays hit the road next weekend for a clash against the Amarillo Wranglers on Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:14 p.m. CT on both nights at the Budweiser Bull Pen. Watch the action live on NAHLtv or listen for free on the Retro Radio CC app!
NEXT HOME SERIES
The IceRays return home to the Hilliard Center January 23 and 24 when the host the Odessa Jackalopes for a two-game series. Puck drop on Friday and Saturday is set for 7:05 p.m. with doors opening an hour prior.
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW
Tickets start at just $5! Student and Active Military Tickets are available at the Hilliard Center Box Office with valid ID.
Grab yours now at www.goicerays.com, on Ticketmaster, or at the Hilliard Center box office
About Corpus Christi IceRays: The Corpus Christi IceRays, a member of the North American Hockey League playing out of the Hilliard Center in downtown Corpus Christi, TX. For more information or for all your ticketing needs, contact the IceRays Front Office at (361)-814-PUCK or visit www.GoIceRays.com . You can also follow the team through their social media platforms: Facebook @goicerays, Instagram @iceraysnahl, and Twitter @iceraysnahl
About North American Hockey League: Celebrating its 50th season in 2024-25, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 35 teams in 20 states from North American. For more information, visit the NAHL website at https://nahl.com/
About Hilliard Center: Hilliard Center is an entertainment complex owned by the city of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group with OVG Hospitality. The complex is in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas and consists of an arena, auditorium, and convention center. The facility hosts numerous conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, live performances, and sporting events. Located directly on the beautiful Corpus Christi Bay downtown, Hilliard Center is flexible for any group offering complimentary Wi-Fi and premium food and beverage options.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
