OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Corpus Christi IceRays (12-4-1) fall to the Oklahoma Warriors (7-10-3) in game one of their weekend series by a final score of 4-1 on Friday night at the Blazers Ice Centre. Warriors Goalie Kyle Jones made 35 saves in the contest to extend Oklahoma’s winning streak to a season high three games.
The IceRays dominated play for most of the opening frame, but were unable to solve Jones in net for Oklahoma. Corpus Christi tested Jones 13 times in the period including a shorthanded breakaway chance for IceRays Forward Carter Krenke. The first goal of the game came just past the halfway mark in the frame, IceRays Goalie Vladislav Bryzgalov lost sight of the puck behind his net, Dominik Kiss played it out in front to Sebastian Speck who stuffed it home to open the scoring. In the aftermath of the goal the IceRays received a penalty for roughing putting a dangerous Warriors power play on the job. In the opening seconds of the man advantage, Defenseman Max Ranstrom got loose on a breakaway but was fouled up enough to send him to a penalty shot looking for the equalizer. Jones would make the save on Ranstrom and moments later Speck scored his second of the game on the power play doubling the Warriors lead heading into the break.
“I thought we controlled the whole game to be honest, we played really hard and competed, the only thing we maybe didn’t do well not done was get in front of Jones and get to the net for those rebounds. The game could have gone either way and we made a few mistakes that led to their goals,” said Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier.
The score would remain the same after the second but the IceRays barrage continued finishing with a game high 14 shots in the period all turned aside by Jones. Corpus Christi was unable to score on three of their power plays in the second finishing the night 0-for-4 on the man advantage. The few chances the Warriors had in the period were dangerous as Bryzgalov was excellent keeping the deficit to two heading into the final period.
Corpus Christi needed a goal quickly and they got it inside of seven minutes in the third period by Ranstrom who elevated a shot past Jones into the top corner cutting the Warriors lead to just one with plenty of time remaining. It was the fourth goal of the season for Ranstrom extending his point streak to three games. The IceRays continued to hunt for the equalizer, but Oklahoma would restore the two goal lead moments later on a beautiful passing play ending with a goal from Louie Kamienski. Corpus Christi had one last chance with the extra attacker after Oklahoma was already down a man, but Kamienski delivered the empty net goal to seal off a 4-1 Oklahoma win.
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