Shrveport Clinches the Play-In Series Two Games to None
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The Corpus Christi IceRays (0-2) saw their season come to a close Saturday night with a 4-1 loss to the Shreveport Mudbugs (2-0) at George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum. With the win, the Mudbugs completed a two-game sweep in the best-of-three Robertson Cup Play-In Series.
“We competed much harder tonight and gave ourselves opportunities, but special teams were the difference,” said IceRays Head Coach Ryan Gil. “You can’t take that many penalties against a team like that and expect a different result. Credit to our group for the push, especially Miceli, but we just didn’t capitalize when it mattered.”
Corpus Christi found itself on its heels early in Game 2, taking two penalties in the opening 10 minutes of the first period. Shreveport controlled much of that stretch but was unable to capitalize against a sharp Xander Miceli. After being pulled in Game 1, Miceli bounced back with an outstanding first period, stopping 17 shots. The IceRays generated 13 shots of their own but struggled to create high-quality chances. Their best opportunity came on the power play when James Chase deflected a shot from Sam Troutwine, but Mudbugs goaltender Ethan Phillips turned it aside to keep the game scoreless after 20 minutes.
The second period featured end-to-end action, with both teams trading rushes. Corpus Christi carried much of the play and drew two penalties but was unable to break through against Phillips and a resilient Shreveport penalty kill.
Special teams ultimately proved to be the difference. With the game still scoreless midway through the period, the Mudbugs capitalized on their fourth power play of the night. Following an offensive zone faceoff win, Jeremiah Roberts created a rebound off Miceli that Joseph Samango finished to open the scoring. The goal marked Shreveport’s fourth power-play tally of the weekend and gave the Mudbugs a 1-0 lead heading into the third.
Penalties continued to trouble the IceRays early in the final frame, and Shreveport took advantage. Johnathan Berndt extended the lead to 2-0 on the power play, and just three minutes later, Charlie Burchfield added another on a wrist shot to make it 3-0.
Corpus Christi showed resilience, breaking through when Sam Troutwine fired a shot through the glove of Phillips to cut the deficit to 3-1. The IceRays had a chance to build momentum with a power play shortly after but were unable to convert, finishing the series 0-for-8 with the man advantage.
Burchfield added his second goal of the night later in regulation to seal the 4-1 victory and the series for Shreveport. The Mudbugs advance to the South Division Semi-Finals to face Lone Star or New Mexico.
About Corpus Christi IceRays: The Corpus Christi IceRays, a member of the North American Hockey League playing out of the Hilliard Center in downtown Corpus Christi, TX. For more information or for all your ticketing needs, contact the IceRays Front Office at (361)-814-PUCK or visit www.GoIceRays.com . You can also follow the team through their social media platforms: Facebook @goicerays, Instagram @iceraysnahl, and Twitter @iceraysnahl
About North American Hockey League: Celebrating its 50th season in 2024-25, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 35 teams in 20 states from North American. For more information, visit the NAHL website at https://nahl.com/
About Hilliard Center
Hilliard Center is Corpus Christi’s premier entertainment and event complex, proudly owned by the City of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group. Named in partnership with Hilliard Law, a firm dedicated to service and community, the waterfront venue features a state-of-the-art arena, the historic Selena Auditorium, and a versatile convention center overlooking the scenic Corpus Christi Bay. With adaptable spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and premium food and beverage offerings, Hilliard Center is designed to deliver exceptional experiences as South Texas’ home for live entertainment, conventions, and community gatherings.
Visit HilliardCenter.com and follow the Hilliard Center on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok for the latest news and event updates.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the Company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
