NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays (26-11-3) on the back of Benji Motew’s 31 save performance in his debut defeat the Lone Star Brahmas (30-7-3) snapping their 12 game win streak at the Nytex Sports Centre on Friday night.
The Brahmas opened the game with multiple looks at IceRays Goalie Benji Motew who was making his debut in net for Corpus Christi after being acquired from the Maryland Black Bears earlier in the week. Motew faced a total of 10 shots in the period and turned aside all 10 as the Brahmas tested him early and often. It took nearly 15 minutes before the IceRays tested Brahmas Goalie Ryan Cameron at the other end of the rink. After weathering the storm, the IceRays would punish the Brahmas on a mistake in the attacking zone allowing Cooper Conway to scamper free on a breakaway. Cameron would make not one but two saves on Conway, but unable to control his rebound Conway stayed with the puck and sent it to the slot where Matteus Soderbom was following up the play and blasted home his fourth goal of the season to give the IceRays a 1-0 lead heading into the 1st intermission.
Corpus Christi really forced the issue in the 2nd period that saw the IceRays with the first six shots on goal to begin the frame. With more time in the offensive end the IceRays drew their first power play of the game as we approached the halfway mark of the game. On the power play the IceRays would dig a puck loose from a scrum and Carter Krenke set up Max Ranstrom on a one timer that was partially stopped but squirted behind him off the post where Pierson Sobush was awaiting to slap it home and give the IceRays a 2-0 lead. With the goal Pierson Sobush became the first IceRay to hit 20 goals this season. Corpus Christi would get a few more looks on the man advantage later in the period but were content to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
After killing off the remaining time on the power play to begin the period the Brahmas struck moments after thanks to Leo Bergstrom cutting the IceRays lead in half with over 18 minutes to play. Corpus Christi would respond rather quickly with Soderbom’s second of the game as he jammed a puck home past Cameron off the set up from Troy Pelton to restore a two goal lead for the IceRays. It marked just the second time this season Cameron has surrendered three goals this season in a start. With a 3-1 lead the IceRays continued to make the smart and safe play and time continued to tick away as Lone Star looked to push back. The Brahmas would pull their goalie for the extra attacker with over four minutes in regulation. On top of that the IceRays took a penalty to make it a two man advantage for the Brahmas who threw all they could at Motew who shut the door the rest of the way for a 3-1 IceRays victory to kick off the weekend series.
