ODESSA, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (23-13-5) hold off the Odessa Jackalopes (9-29-6) and defeat the home side 6-4 on Saturday night from the Ector County Coliseum. The IceRays sweep the Jackalopes for the fourth-straight time and finish their seven-game road trip with a 5-2-0 record.
Like the night before, the Jackalopes pushed across the first goal of the game at 3:19 of the first period. Defenseman Christian Hausinger powered a shot from the right point to give Odessa a 1-0 lead. The IceRays found an answer later in the frame at 13:27 when forward Ryan Cusin knocked in a rebound from the left circle to tie the game, 1-1. Following a hooking penalty on Jackalopes defenseman Andrew McLean, IceRays defenseman Anthony Cortese slapped a shot home from just above the left circle to take the 2-1 lead on the power play.
Goals would toss back and forth throughout the period. Shortly after the start of the second period, the Jackalopes tied the game, 2-2, with another goal from Christian Hausinger at 1:22. A little over a minute later at 2:47, IceRays forward Connor Kelly found a centering feed in the low slot, throwing the puck netward and giving the IceRays back the lead, 3-2. The IceRays continued to press offensively, but the Jackalopes answered again at 17:47 to draw even, 3-3, when forward Razmuz Waxin-Engback found a pass from forward Kenny Hausinger streaking through the slot and chopped the puck top shelf. One final answer came from the IceRays before the end of the period when Cortese’s shot from the right point redirected off the body of forward Mason Krueger at 18:53 to edge ahead 4-3.
Scoring held off in the third period until late in the frame, and it was the IceRays to garner the tally. At 17:38, Cortese takes a slap shot from the blue line for his second goal of the night and for a two-goal lead, 5-3. With netminder Robin Johansson pulled, Jackalopes forward Corey Hoffman jabbed home a goal through IceRays netminder Andrew Lindgren to draw within one, 5-4, at 18:18 of the final period. The Jackalopes kept Johansson off the ice, which allowed IceRays forward Wes Michaud to dive and claim the empty net goal and the win, 6-4.
Lindgren (16-8-3) gains his second win of the weekend, stopping 24 of 28 shots, while Johansson (5-11-3) gets the loss, saving 31 of 36 shots. The IceRays return home to begin a two-game set against the Lone Star Brahmas on Friday, February 6 at 7:05 p.m. from the American Bank Center. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsJuice.com, FASTHockey.com, and 87.7 FM in-arena.
Call the front office at 361-814-7825 for season and individual ticket details or check out the pricing and seating chart online at www.goicerays.com. Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.goicerays.com. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), and Vine (@goicerays).
