Corpus Christi, Texas – Coming off their most complete game of the season on the road and some momentum, the Corpus Christi IceRays were eager for the challenge against one of the top teams in the North American Hockey League to start a four-game homestand.
The Lone Star Brahmas, one of the hottest teams in the league, were more than up for the challenge, building a lead and holding off the IceRays 5-3 Friday night at the American Bank Center.
The Brahmas (11-5-0, 1SOL) won their second straight and are 8-1 in their last nine games and 8-1-0, 1SOL in their last 10.
Coupled with El Paso’s loss at Odessa, Lone Star propelled into first place by two points with the victory.
Lone Star built leads of 3-0 and 4-1 and although the IceRays fought back, the hole proved too deep to dig out of.
Justin Kerr scored a pair of goals for Lone Star, including an empty netter. Antti Autere, Charlie Emmons and Owen Kerr also collected goals for the Brahmas.
Dylan Jensen, Cody Kempf and Anthony Cafarelli netted goals for Corpus Christi (5-8-1, 1SOL).
The Brahmas struck for two power play goals in less than two minutes to nab a 2-0 lead in the first period.
“Our penalty kill has been so good, and then for some reason, it’s almost like we’re stuck in the ice on those two penalty kills and were just standing around and weren’t doing what we’re supposed to do,” IceRays head coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “It’s really weird, bur for the first half of the game, we played a pretty bad hockey game and were still in the game.”
Justin Kerr scored his sixth goal of the season with the man-advantage at 12:52, and Autere followed with his first of the season at 14:46.
Emmons gave Lone Star a 3-0 advantage with his first goal of the season at 6:24 of the second period before Jensen nabbed his third of the year at 15:25.
“We finally got going on the goal from Jensen and then we’re all over them and had some chances,” Cloutier said. “It’s tough to explain because we played so well on the road the last four games and then come home and have a good crowd and it’s almost like we have no energy. So, we’ve got to figure that out as a group and make sure we do come out hard.”
Owen Kerr made the hole a bit deeper with his second goal of the year 54 seconds into the third period before the IceRays tried to mount a comeback.
Kempf got his third goal of the year at 3:16 and Cafarelli made things interesting with his team-leading eighth goal on the power play at 18:20 before Justin Kerr closed the door at 19:22.
Corpus Christi outshot Lone Star 31-22 and 12-7 in the third period, but it wasn’t enough.
“We haven’t been consistent,” Cloutier said. “We’re not a team that should be where we are in the standings and these guys know it.”
The two teams will face off again Saturday night at 7:05.
The IceRays are hosting Pink in the Rink on Saturday.
You can watch this Saturday’s game on NAHLTV.com and can also catch it on Brewster Street Radio.
For more info on the IceRays visit goicerays.com.
