Jack Mackenzie Scores Lone Goal for Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (2-1-0) dropped their opening game of the 2026 North American Hockey League Showcase, falling to the Bismarck Bobcats by a final score of 5-1 on Wednesday afternoon.
A sluggish start by the IceRays allowed Bismarck to control the early pace, spending extended time in the IceRays’ defensive zone. Thanks to a stellar effort from goaltender Vladislav Bryzgalov, who made several key stops, the game remained scoreless through the opening 10 minutes. However, the Bobcats eventually broke through on a tic-tac-toe passing play that ended with a wide-open tap-in on the back door to make it 1-0.
Despite the slow start, the IceRays managed to pull even late in the first period. An opportunistic line change led to an odd-man rush, and Jack Mackenzie rifled a shot into the net in the dying seconds of the frame, sending the teams into intermission tied 1-1.
Corpus Christi came out strong to open the second period but couldn’t beat Bobcats netminder Nils Maurins again. After sustained pressure by the IceRays, Bismarck used a timeout just before the halfway point of the period—and it paid off. The Bobcats scored twice more to take a 3-1 lead: Cooper Williams tallied his second goal of the season during four-on-four play, followed by a goal from Gianni Divita after a chaotic play that saw Bryzgalov accidentally taken out by a teammate in the crease.
Any hopes of a comeback were dashed early in the third period when Caden Bell scored a power-play goal to extend Bismarck’s lead to 4-1. The Bobcats sealed the game with an empty netter, handing the IceRays their first loss of the season, 5-1.
The IceRays are back in action tomorrow afternoon against the Wisconsin Windigo, with puck drop scheduled for 3:00 PM. Follow the action live on NAHLTV or listen on Retro Radio CC. Pregame coverage begins at 2:45 PM.
About Corpus Christi IceRays: The Corpus Christi IceRays, a member of the North American Hockey League playing out of the American Bank 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 American Bank Center: American Bank 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, American Bank 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.
