Vladislav Bryzgalov Shines for Corpus Christi in the Loss
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The Corpus Christi IceRays (7–10–2) dropped game two at the Outpost Ice Arena on Saturday night as the New Mexico Ice Wolves (12–7–2) clawed back for a 2–1 overtime victory. The Ice Wolves needed 43 shots before finally netting the equalizer late in regulation.
IceRays goaltender Vladislav Bryzgalov picked up right where he left off the previous night, turning aside 13 shots in the opening frame. He received excellent support in front, limiting New Mexico’s second-chance opportunities and helping kill off a penalty. Shortly after, the IceRays went to the man-advantage and needed only nine seconds to convert, as Johnny Maruna buried a one-timer for a 1–0 lead. It was his second goal of the weekend and his second power-play tally of the year.
New Mexico turned up the pressure in search of the equalizer, pushing their shot total to 33 by the end of two periods, but Bryzgalov remained unbeatable. The IceRays struggled to find an offensive rhythm, mustering only seven shots in the middle period. Despite New Mexico’s heavy zone-time advantage, Corpus Christi held onto a 1–0 lead heading into the third.
It took nearly 57 minutes for the Ice Wolves to break through, as Andrey Moskvitin slid a low shot past Bryzgalov to tie the game 1–1 with just over three minutes remaining. Corpus Christi battled the rest of the way to force overtime and secure a hard-earned point. Bryzgalov finished regulation with 44 saves.
New Mexico wasted no time in overtime, needing just 31 seconds before Sean Smith completed the comeback with his second goal of the weekend, lifting the Ice Wolves to a 2–1 to force a rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
NEXT GAME
The series finale between Corpus Christi and New Mexico gets underway at 3:00 p.m. CT tomorrow afternoon at the Outpost Ice Arena. Catch all the action live on NAHLTV or tune in on Retro Radio CC by downloading the app on your favorite smart device! The pregame show kicks off 15 minutes ahead of puck drop.
NEXT HOME SERIES
The IceRays return to the Hilliard Center for Ice Out Hunger weekend when we host the New Mexico Ice Wolves for a pair of games. The series kicks off on Friday, November 28, and wraps up on Saturday, November 29, with puck drop at 7:05 p.m. both nights.
Ice Out Hunger presented by HEB is a chance for the IceRays and our fans to give back to the Coastal Bend community. Fans that bring in five canned goods will receive one free ticket to the game. All donations will benefit the Coastal Bend Food Bank.
Friday will feature $1 Beer Night and meet and greet with Corpus Christi native and major league baseball player Jose Trevino! Saturday features the return of Post Game Skate presented by RTFC!
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW
Tickets start at just $5! Student and Active Military Tickets are available at the Hilliard Center Box Office with valid ID.
Grab yours now at www.goicerays.com, on Ticketmaster, or at the Hilliard Center box office
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 an entertainment complex owned by the city of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group with OVG Hospitality. The complex is in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas and consists of an arena, auditorium, and convention center. The facility hosts numerous conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, live performances, and sporting events. Located directly on the beautiful Corpus Christi Bay downtown, Hilliard Center is flexible for any group offering complimentary Wi-Fi and premium food and beverage options.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
