ICERAYS TO PLAY SECOND ROUND HOME GAMES IN MCKINNEY

Apr 27, 2017

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), will play two neutral ice home games at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in McKinney, Texas for Games 3 and 4 of the South Division Finals against the Lone Star Brahmas next Tuesday, May 2 and Wednesday, May 3 at 7:15 p.m., the team announced today.

The Dr. Pepper StarCenter in McKinney is one of seven practice and community rinks in the greater Dallas area owned and operated by the Dallas Stars. The facility hosts two regulation-size ice sheets with room for around 420 spectators in the South Rink, the location of both home playoff games. The IceRays will call the Dr. Pepper StarCenter home for the next two weeks during the second round, practicing at that location before opening the series at the NYTEX Sports Centre this weekend then returning to the facility for practice and home games next week.

“Things have been a little bit more difficult than expected, but we have finally found a home,” said IceRays general manager Pat Dunn. “We would have liked to play closer to home, but the logistics didn’t work out the way we wanted. So, the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in McKinney will be our home for the next week. On behalf of the IceRays organization, we want to thank the NAHL on all their help with finding us a home. I also want to personally thank Todd Cochran, the General Manager of the facility, for going out of his way to help us meet all of our needs. We look forward to hosting our home games in McKinney.”

Tickets will be sold at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter on the day of the game at $12 for reserved seating and $10 for standing room only. Fans can also call the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-7825 or email tickets@goicerays.com for advanced seating. The IceRays anticipate a quick selling of tickets, so the organization encourages acting quickly to purchase tickets.

In addition, fans who cannot make the game will be able to watch and listen to the action for both games. Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. on SportsRadio Corpus Christi in the city as well as online on Hockey TV.

“Our only regret is that we do not expect to get a lot of Corpus Christi fans in attendance at the arena, but our group is mentally strong and have faced a lot of adversity all season. We know they will give it their best, and we know our fans will be with us the whole way and watching and listening back home.”

The South Division Finals is set to begin tomorrow night and is a best-of-five series to decide the division representative at the Robertson Cup Semifinals in Duluth, Minn. next month. The IceRays, who swept the Shreveport Mudbugs 3-0 in the South Division Semifinals as the three-seed, make their first appearance in the next round under the junior franchise to take on the South Division Champion Lone Star Brahmas, who swept the four-seed Wichita Falls Wildcats 3-0 in their South Division Semifinal. This is also the first meeting between the two junior franchises.

The full second round schedule is listed below with Games 4 and 5 deemed if necessary should the series require beyond the minimum of three games:

Game #1 – Friday, Apr. 28 – 7:30 p.m. – NYTEX Sports Centre – North Richland Hills, Texas
Game #2 – Saturday, Apr. 29 – 7:30 p.m. – NYTEX Sports Centre – North Richland Hills, Texas
Game #3 – Tuesday, May 2 – 7:15 p.m. – Dr. Pepper StarCenter – McKinney, Texas
Game #4 – Wednesday, May 3 – 7:15 p.m. – Dr. Pepper StarCenter – McKinney, Texas
Game #5 – Saturday, May 6 – 7:30 p.m. – NYTEX Sports Centre – North Richland Hills, Texas

Tickets for all five games are available through each home team’s respective Front Office. Coverage begins 15 minutes prior to puck drop on SportsRadio Corpus Christi and Hockey TV.

The IceRays open the 2017 South Division Finals on Friday, Apr. 28 at 7:30 p.m. from the NYTEX Sports Centre in a best-of-five series. Rise with the IceRays as their quest for the Robertson Cup continues in the South Division Finals, and get ready for next season with a 2017-18 IceRays Season Membership. Call the IceRays at 361-814-PUCK to reserve your seat for next season. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Snapchat (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).