TOPEKA, KAN. – The Corpus Christi IceRays (13-14-3) claim their first shutout of the year with a 3-0 blanking of the Topeka RoadRunners (21-13-1) on Friday night at the Kansas Expocentre. The win is their fourth-straight, the longest win streak of the season, and their third in four days.
Pace was at a break-neck speed throughout the opening period, but despite the RoadRunners continuing to press the tempo of the game, the IceRays earned the majority of high chances and the opening goal. With the first power play of the contest, IceRays forward Drake Lindsay took a shot from the right point that sailed through traffic at 7:06 for his first power play goal of the year and to take a 1-0 lead.
The IceRays created numerous turnovers in the second period and found life and more goals. At 2:29, forward Brad LeLievre took away the puck in the right corner and walked into the crease, jabbing the puck through the netminder and doubling the lead, 2-0. The same unit created another chance just before mid-way through the period, and forward Toby Kircher jammed home the puck to triple the lead, 3-0. The RoadRunners did have a couple key chances, but the IceRays defensive core helped out their netminder, notably Trevor Heuser, who saved an open goal with his stick to aid his goalie.
Both teams had one large chance in the third period that was turned away by good defensive play and some luck. The IceRays almost made it a four-goal lead with forwards Brendan Miller and Nathan Bryer bring turned away at an open net early in the frame. Topeka forward Quinn Preston rushed in on a short-handed breakaway not long later and was turned away by IceRays netminder Graham Hunt, who held off the RoadRunners for the rest of the contest to maintain the 3-0 win.
Hunt (8-8-2) earns his first shutout of the year and his fourth-straight win, stopping all 20 shots faced, while RoadRunners goaltender Tyler Johnson (13-7-0) picked up the loss, turning aside 21 of 24 shots. The IceRays finish their four-game, five-day stretch on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 7:05 p.m. against the Topeka RoadRunners from the Kansas Expocentre. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio Corpus Christi (KSIX 1230AM) and FASTHockey.com.
The IceRays return to the American Bank Center on Thursday, Jan. 21 for the first of two games against the Topeka RoadRunners. Contact the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK or go to www.goicerays.com for details on season tickets along with pricing and seating. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Vine (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).
