ICERAYS WEEKLY

Oct 19, 2015

The IceRays Weekly is a weekly recap and preview of IceRays news, games, and more. The IceRays Weekly will be released every Monday during the 2015-16 season.

LAST WEEK…

Friday, October 16: IceRays 2, Amarillo Bulls 5
Shots: IceRays 41, Bulls 38
PP: IceRays 1-for-3, Bulls 0-for-2

The Corpus Christi IceRays (4-7-0) allowed five-unanswered and fell 5-2 to the Amarillo Bulls (2-7-2) on Friday night at the Amarillo Civic Center.

IceRays forward Andy McGlynn (PP, 9:29 1st) opened the scoring and gave the road side a 1-0 lead. The Bulls came back and scored five-answered in through most of the contest. Forwards Nicholas Bohatiuk (14:47 1st) and Brady Crabtree (18:39 1st) notched the first two for Amarillo to give them a 2-1 lead, Bohatiuk (9:52 2nd) recorded his first two-goal game and gave the Bulls a 3-1 lead in the second, and forwards George Mika (11:31 3rd) and Michael Forman (16:13 3rd) stretched the lead to 5-1 before IceRays forward Drake Lindsay (19:02 3rd) broke the scoring run late in the game.

Bulls goaltender Anton Martinsson (2-4-2) earned the win, stopping 39 of 41 shots. IceRays starting netminder Graham Hunt (2-4-0) played 29:552 minutes and saved 19 of 22 shots, while Dryden McKay stopped 14 of 16 shots in 30:08 minutes of relief.

Saturday, October 17: IceRays 1, Amarillo Bulls 2 (OT)
Shots: IceRays 42, Bulls 29
PP: IceRays 0-for-1, Bulls 1-for-1

The Corpus Christi IceRays (4-7-1) overpowered the Amarillo Bulls (3-7-2) but ultimately fell 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night at the Amarillo Civic Center.

Bulls forward Joey Molinaro (PP, 11:27 1st) lined up the home side early on the team's lone power play chance to take a 1-0 lead. Late in the second period, IceRays forward Brad LeLievre (17:33 2nd) found some help from forwards Carter Johnson and Brad Power to open him up with a back-door goal and tie the game, 1-1. In overtime, IceRays forward Tobias Kircher attempted the team's first penalty shot of the year but was stopped. Bulls forward Johan Lundgren (1:53 OT) sealed the 2-1 win with a second-chance play.

Bulls netminder Anton Martinsson (3-4-2) stopped 41 of 42 shots in the win, and IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay (2-3-1) saved 27 of 29 shots in the loss.

 

 

THIS WEEK…

Thursday, October 22, 2015 vs. Topeka RoadRunners – 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, October 24, 2015 
vs. Topeka RoadRunners – 7:05 p.m.

The Corpus Christi IceRays welcome the Topeka RoadRunners to the American Bank Center for the first time in the 2015-16 season for a two-game, three-day weekend set. The IceRays and RoadRunners split their initial encounter to kick off the 2015-16 campaign with the IceRays taking the first game, 3-1, and dropping the second, 2-1. The IceRays now hold a 3-18-3 record against the RoadRunners and are 1-8-2 at home. Last season, the IceRays went 1-2-1 against Topeka while splitting the home weekend and earning their first home win against the RoadRunners.
PROMOTIONS: This Thursday is another Winning Weekday with buy-one, get-one free tickets available. Saturday is the 8th annual Pink In The Rink game, presented by AutoNation, Drive Pink, Radiology & Imaging, and South Texas Surgical. The IceRays will adorn their pink-themed jerseys for both games this weekend and will auction the jerseys to the public after Saturday's game in the Eddie Jackson Post-Game Jersey Auction. The IceRays will also have a silent auction during the game with various items donated by local businesses and families. Proceeds from the event will benefit the American Cancer Society. In addition, the IceRays will host a Post-Game Skate, courtesy of Braselton Homes, following Saturday's game.

The Topeka RoadRunners split their two-game weekend set against the Springfield Jr. Blues at home from the Kansas ExpoCentre, shutting out the Jr. Blues 5-0 on Friday and falling 4-1 on Saturday. Forward Matt Jennings took the helm over the weekend, earning three points (two goals, assist) and the only player to grab a multi-game scoring weekend. Forward Cam Strong earned two goals in Friday's victory including one on the power play, and two players earned two assists to round out the multi-point weekend: defenseman Tyler Hayes and forward Dominic Lutz. Goaltender Tyler Johnson played both games in net, saving 57 of 61 shots in 120:00 minutes in net.

South Division Recap:
The Wichita Falls Wildcats continue to roll through the early parts of the season, earning their fourth and fifth-straight wins as well as their tenth-straight game with at least one point thanks to a home weekend sweep of the Odessa Jackalopes. With their win on Friday, the Topeka RoadRunners vault into a share of second place with the idle Lone Star Brahmas, who have five games in-hand over Topeka as well as two in-hand atop the Wildcats. The Jackalopes didn't earn any points, but their remain at .500 and fourth in the standings. The IceRays only managed to earn one point, and while they decreased their cap from playoff position to just one point, the Amarillo Bulls are now only a point behind the IceRays thanks to their home sweep.

South Division Standings:
Wichita Falls Wildcats                    9-1-1, 19 points
Topeka RoadRunners                  7-7-0, 14 points

Lone Star Brahmas                        6-1-2, 14 points
Odessa Jackalopes                        5-5-0, 10 points
Corpus Christi IceRays                4-7-1, 9 points
Amarillo Bulls                                  3-7-2, 8 points

 

 

ICERAYS BITS…

The IceRays continue to struggle offensively to produce goals and were held to just one goal for the seventh time this season. However, their output wasn't for the lack of chances. The IceRays tallied their third game with 40+ shots this season, combining for 83 shots over the weekend and only scoring three goals (3.61%). Over their last five games, the IceRays have totaled 35 or more shots four times (three against Amarillo), averaging 35.80 shots per game and only scoring seven goals (3.91%). They've only reached three goals three times this season but are perfect in those games. The team is now last in the NAHL in goals per game (1.67).

IceRays forward Tobias Kircher nearly won the game on Saturday in overtime by virtue of a penalty shot but was shut down within the first minute of the extra frame. That was the fourth attempt in junior franchise history at a penalty shot as well as the second in overtime, but the IceRays are 2-for-4 in conversions. Their last penalty shot came on Nov. 22, 2014 in a 4-3 win over Odessa (Wes Michaud). The IceRays have never scored a penalty shot in a road game. As a team, the IceRays have seen six penalty shots against them, stopping only 2-of-6 with their most recent coming on Mar. 6, 2015 against the Lone Star Brahmas (A.J. Vanderbeck scored on Andrew Lindgren).

The loss on Saturday is the fourth-straight for the IceRays and the first overtime loss of the season. The loss also breaks an eight-game overtime win streak dating exactly one year (Oct. 17, 2014) against Topeka (4-3 W). The IceRays also had not lost a game beyond regulation since Jan. 2, 2015 against Rio Grande Valley (3-2 L), marking the end of a nine-game winning streak in that category. Overall, the IceRays are 16-14 in overtime games as a franchise and 9-2 over the last two seasons.

 

IN THE COMMUNITY…

Assistant Coach Mike Benedict and a few IceRays players will be enjoying time at Trinity Towers on Tuesday, October 20 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The members of the team will visit members of the living community and spend time speaking with those members. This event is not open to the public.

– Defend The Bend –