ICERAYS SHUT OUT BY WILDCATS, 3-0

Oct 31, 2015

WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (5-9-2) were shut out 3-0 by the Wichita Falls Wildcats (12-1-2) on Saturday night from the Kay Yeager Coliseum. It’s their first shutout loss of the year and the second of its kind for the Wildcats.

For the fourth time in the season series, the Wildcats struck first in the opening period. At 4:23, forward Jonathan Lazarus took a shot from the right wall, and after the initial save forward Austin Albrecht back-handed the rebound in to push the Wildcats ahead, 1-0. IceRays forward Drake Lindsay had a huge chance with a breakaway while being shorthanded but was turned away on the shot attempt.

The Wildcats turned up the heat in the middle frame though they were stopped down on all but one chance. The IceRays caught a break with the net coming off its posts early in the second period, wiping out a sure goal. After a second net dislodging, the IceRays were called for delay of game, and the Wildcats capitalized. Lazarus punched in his side’s first power play goal of the night at 5:04 and doubled the lead, 2-0. 

Chances started to develop in the third period for the IceRays, but the Wildcats closed out most of the advances through the neutral zone to help out their netminder. The Wildcats did add on one more goal at 12:09, finding forward Aleksi Poikola wide open on the right side for a one-time shot, tripling the lead to 3-0. The home side held firm for the rest of the frame, gaining their second shutout win of the year in the 3-0 defeat of the IceRays.

Wildcats netminder Julian Sime (4-1-1) earned his first shutout of the season, stopping all 17 shots faced, and IceRays goaltender Graham Hunt (2-5-1) grabbed the loss, saving 33 of 36 shots. Following a weekend off, the IceRays pick up play in their first meeting of the year against the Odessa Jackalopes on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:05 p.m. from the Ector County Coliseum. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio Corpus Christi (KSIX 1230AM) & FASTHockey.com.

The IceRays come home on Thursday, Nov. 19 to open the season series with the Lone Star Brahmas at 10:45 a.m. from the American Bank Center. Contact the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK or go to www.goicerays.com for details on season tickets along with pricing and seating. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Vine (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).