CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – For the first time this season the Corpus Christi IceRays (21-7-2) lose back to back games this season as the Shreveport Mudbugs (18-13-1) shutout the IceRays 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at the American Bank Center. It’s the third time the IceRays have been shutout this season with all clean sheets coming at home this season.
This Sunday matinee saw goalie duel between Waylon Esche and Nikola Goich who stole the show for most of the contest. Esche, making his debut for the IceRays was spectacular in net making 25 saves on 26 shots and Goich matched him save for save all the way to a 26 save shutout. It was the second shutout of the season for Goich. The contest consisted of 90 total penalty minutes and a combined 13 power plays that proved to be unsuccessful for both sides as Corpus Christi went 0-for-8 and Shreveport was 0-for-5 on the man advantage. Both sides received a five minute power play in the 3rd period, but the penalty kills for both teams were brilliant all weekend long. It took nearly 58 minutes of action for the games first goal, on a rush by the Mudbugs Carter Mckay was able to twist a shot on net producing a rebound that was grabbed by a trailing Lucas Deeb who fired it past Esche to give the Mudbugs a 1-0 lead late in regulation. The IceRays chance with the extra attacker was short lived as Ian Emery was able bank one into the empty net to seal the victory for Shreveport by a final score of 2-0.
UP NEXT
The IceRays will be back home next weekend for a pair of games versus the Amarillo Wranglers and a one off with the Oklahoma Warriors on Sunday afternoon. The Wranglers will be in town on Jan 3 and 4 with the Warriors following on Jan 5 to close out the weekend.
