Corpus Christi, Texas – The Corpus Christi IceRays started off strong against the host El Paso Rhinos.
But the finish wasn’t exactly what the doctor ordered.
El Paso scored five unanswered goals, including two shorthanded tallies 51 seconds apart early in the third period, and a late empty netter to nab a 5-1 win over the IceRays Saturday night at the El Paso County Events Center in El Paso.
Ryan Hintz scored a power play goal for the IceRays.
Tory Lund scored a pair of short-handed goals, while Alexandre Pellerin, Jakub Jerman and Mason Lebel each scored one apiece for El Paso.
“We had a really good first period, but we definitely lost the special teams tonight,” IceRays head coach Sylvain Cloutier said.
The IceRays were 1-of-3 on the power play while El Paso went 1-for-2.
The IceRays are now 13-21-1, 3SOL for 30 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, four points behind the Odessa Jackalopes for seventh, and 13 points behind the Oklahoma Warriors and New Mexico Ice Wolves for fifth.
El Paso moved into a tie for second plays with the Amarillo Wranglers with a record of 24-9-2, 1SOL for 51 points.
The Rhinos outshot the IceRays 22-16.
Hintz got the IceRays on the board with his third goal of the season on a power play goal from Mathieu Bourgault at 13:42 of the first period and Corpus Christi led 1-0 after one period.
El Paso came back with a power play goal of its own on Pellerin’s first goal of the season 30 seconds into the second period to tie the game.
“They got a lucky bounce on the first goal that gave them momentum and they kept going,” Cloutier said.
Jerman gave the Rhinos the lead on a shot from the left slot, his seventh of the season and El Paso forged a 2-1 lead heading into the final period.
The IceRays appeared ready to fight for the equalizer when Bradley Walker went off for unsportsmanlike conduct at 3:08 to give Corpus Christi a power play.
But Lund scored his 11th of the season short-handed at 3:55, and his 12th, just 51 seconds later at 4:46 to up El Paso’s lead to 4-1.
LeBel finished the scoring with his sixth goal into an empty net.
Vilgot Holm in the nets. He finished the game with 18 saves on 22 shots.
The IceRays will host the Amarillo Wranglers for a pair Friday, January 26 and Saturday, January 27 at 7:05 PM CST at American Bank Center.
You can watch the games on NAHL TV and listen on Brewster Street Radio.
For more information, visit goicerays.com.
