Corpus Christi, Texas – The Corpus Christi IceRays started out slow in its return to the home ice against the Amarillo Wranglers.
The defense, for the most part, wasn’t an issue. Getting shots on the net and scoring opportunities, another story.
Slowly but surely, the IceRays overcame deficiencies and even forged a second period lead before falling to the Wranglers 2-1 Friday night at American Bank Center.
Zakhar Polshakov scored a goal for the IceRays.
Roman Zap and Jack Ivey each collected a power play goal in the third period for Amarillo which would prove to be the difference.
Amarillo outshot Corpus Christi 31-12 through two periods, including 15-3 in the first period, and finished with a 48-25 advantage for the contest.
The IceRays are now 13-22-1, 3SOL for 30 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, six points behind the Odessa Jackalopes for seventh, and 13 points behind the Oklahoma Warriors for sixth, and 14 points behind New Mexico Ice Wolves for fifth.
Amarillo is now in second with 53 points (23-10-5, 2SOL), two points ahead of the El Paso Rhinos. The Wranglers are 10-0-1, 0SOL in their last 10 games.
The Wranglers were 2-for-5 on the power play while the IceRays were 0-for-2.
“We need to do a better job on the penalty kill and power play,” IceRays head coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “We had chances on the first power play and didn’t put the puck in the net.”
Neither team could light the goal lamp in the opening 20 minutes and the game was scoreless after one period.
Polshakov scored his sixth goal of the season from Pierson Sobush and Griffin Zaske at 7:45 of the second period and the IceRays had a 1-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
For Polshakov, it was his third goal in his last four games.
The assist for Sobush was his 18th, which trails Mathieu Bourgault by one for the team lead.
Amarillo got the equalizer on a power play goal by Zap, his 12th of the season on assists by Jack Ivey, his 14th, and Nolan Ganon, his 25th at 6:09 of the third period.
Mere seconds after an unsportsmanlike penalty against Zaske, Ivey netted his 26th goal of the season from Ben Ivey at 12:53 to give the Wranglers a 2-1 advantage.
Bryant Marks did what he could in the nets for the IceRays. Marks stopped 46 of the 48 shots he faced on the night, but it wasn’t enough as Amarillo escaped with the victory.
“Great game by Bryant Marks tonight,” Cloutier said.
Amarillo now has a 2-1 advantage in the season series. The two teams split the first two games with the Wranglers pulling out a 5-4 shootout-victory September 29 in Amarillo. Corpus Christi skated to an 8-5 victory the next night, September 30.
The two teams will close out the two-game series Saturday night at 7:05 CST at American Bank Center.
You can watch the game on NAHL TV and listen on Brewster Street Radio.
A Carnival Atmosphere for all:
Saturday is Kids Fun Carnival Night with a Petting Zoo, Moon Bounce, Carnival Games, Face Painting and Much More.
For more information, visit goicerays.com.
