Corpus Christi, Texas – It was anyone’s game after forty minutes of scoreless hockey as the IceRays opened a two-game road trip against the host El Paso Rhinos.
The IceRays were going toe to toe with the Rhinos in regulation and put it in overdrive in overtime.
Corpus Christi got the only shots in the extra period and Zakhar Polshakov put in the one that mattered in a 2-1 overtime victory Friday night at the El Paso County Events Center in El Paso.
Polshakov took a centering pass from Anthony Cafarelli with the IceRays on a 4-3 power play to win it.
“Big road win,” Ice Rays head coach Sylvain Cloutier said. “Great hockey game.”
Mathieu Bourgault got the other goal for the IceRays while Eddie Shepler had the El Paso goal.
The IceRays were 2-of-5 on the power play while El Paso went 0-for-4.
The IceRays are currently 13-20-1, 3SOL for 30 points, in eighth place in the NAHL South Division, five points behind the Odessa Jackalopes for seventh, and 11 points behind the Oklahoma Warriors and New Mexico Ice Wolves for fifth.
El Paso is a point behind the Amarillo Wranglers and currently in third place with a record of 23-9-2, 1SOL.
The IceRays outshot the Rhinos 31-30, including 4-0 in overtime.
Vilgot Holm was sterling in the first two periods, making 18 saves, including some outstanding ones. He finished the game with 29 saves on 30 shots.
Shepler collected his 10th of the season at 4:41 of the second period to break a scoreless deadlock.
But Bourgault netted his seventh on a shot in the slot from Ryan Hintz and Cafarelli just over a minute later at 5:45.
All the excitement building led to Polshakov’s fifth goal in extra time.
The IceRays and Rhinos will play again Saturday night at 8 p.m. CT.
You can watch Saturday’s game on NAHL TV and listen on Brewster Street Radio with Scott Galetti on the call.
For more information, visit goicerays.com.
