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 2014-15 season.
LAST WEEK…
Thursday, January 22: IceRays 4, Wichita Falls Wildcats 5
Shots: IceRays 30, Wildcats 42
PP: IceRays 2-for-4, Wildcats 3-for-6
The Corpus Christi IceRays (19-13-5) couldn't come back despite a combined five power play goals, falling to the Wichita Falls Wildcats (27-10-0) 5-4 on Thursday night from Kay Yeager Coliseum.
After trailing early in the opening period, forward Ryan Cusin (PP, 14:08 1st) helped to get the scoring started before the end of the frame. From that point on, the two sides would trade goals with forward Tanner Lomsnes (PP, 12:38 2nd; 4:22 3rd) grabbing the lone tally of the second period and the ensuing answer toward the front of the third period. Forward Maksim Dzhioshvili (10:37 3rd) brought about the final goal of the contest, but the IceRays had already fallen behind.
Wildcats defenseman Jake Townsend (PP, 3:45 1st; 1:26 3rd) carried the torch with two goals followed by forward Colin Staub (PP, 7:37 2nd) and defenseman Konstantin Chernyk (9:53 3rd).
Wildcats goaltender Austin Shaw (16-5-0) earned the win, stopping 26 of 30 shots, while IceRays netminder Andrew Lindgren (14-8-3) picked up the loss, turning aside 37 of 42 shots.
Friday, January 23: IceRays 5, Wichita Falls Wildcats 4
Shots: IceRays 18, Wildcats 22
PP: IceRays 2-for-2, Wildcats 2-for-4
The Corpus Christi IceRays (20-13-5) launched into another high-scoring game with the Wichita Falls Wildcats (27-11-0) this time edging the home side 5-4 on Friday night from Kay Yeager Coliseum. The IceRays have now won two of their last three road games.
Defenseman Anthony Cortese (PP, 7:40 1st) kicked off the scoring in the first period before seven combined goals in the second frame. Forward Tanner Lomsnes (PP, 1:25 2nd) added a goal before the Wildcats scored two unanswered to tie the game, 2-2. Cortese (7:20 2nd) and forward Nathan Bryer (9:18 2nd) helped push the IceRays back ahead before the Wildcats could answer back. Forward Matt Colford (19:23 2nd) added the eventual game-winning goal late in the period.
The Wildcats saw production come from forwards Kevin Charyszyn (2:23 2nd), Max Reisinger (PP, 5:23 2nd), Nick Farmer (PP, 11:39 2nd), and Tommy Apap (3:49 3rd) despite falling short of the win.
IceRays goaltender Luke Pickar (6-5-2) claimed hte win, stopping 18 of 22 shots, while Wildcats netminder Austin Shaw (16-6-0) was awarded the loss after coming in to replace David Zevnik. Shaw stopped four of five shots through 29:54 played, while Zevnik turned away nine of 13 chances in his opening 29:18 of play.
THIS WEEK…
Thursday, January 29, 2015 @ Odessa Jackalopes – 7:05 p.m.
Friday, January 30, 2015 @ Odessa Jackalopes – 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ Odessa Jackalopes – 7:05 p.m.
The Corpus Christi IceRays finish their seven-game road trip with a three game, three day excursion to the Ector County Coliseum to face the Odessa Jackalopes. The IceRays have yet to lose against the Jackalopes this season, recording a 6-0-0 record while outscoring Odessa 27-13 and winning two of four games in overtime. The last time the IceRays fell to the Jackalopes was on Jan. 17 (5-2 L) at the American Bank Center. Since then, the IceRays are 7-0-0 against Odessa. Over their histories, the IceRays are 24-13-2 against the Jackalopes.
The Odessa Jackalopes rebounded from a road sweep with a home split against the Amarillo Bulls, claiming game one on Friday 6-4 while dropping Saturday's closer 4-2. Four players earned three-point weekends, including three of those four stretched over both games. Defenseman Christian Hausinger, forward Kenny Hausinger, and forward Razmuz Waxin-Engback all earned one goal and two assists over both games, while forward Hampus Sjodahl tabbed one goal and two assists just in Friday's win. In all, 12 players earned points with seven of those earning multi-point weekends. Goaltenders Robin Johansson and Tanner Creel each saved 22 shots on 26 chances over the weekend, with Johansson gaining Friday's win and Creel garnering Saturday's loss.
Movement remained sparce in the South Division over the weekend, and the IceRays (20-13-5, 45 points) remain firmly in fourth place with their road split. The only team to sweep in the division was the Topeka RoadRunners (30-9-3, 63 points), who beat the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (14-19-6, 34 points) in both games to gain four points on the idle Lone Star Brahmas (26-9-3, 55 points). The Wichita Falls Wildcats (27-11-0, 54 points) remain nine points ahead of the IceRays, while the Wenatchee Wild (16-18-7, 39 points) sit six points back of fourth place. The Odessa Jackalopes (9-27-5, 23 points) remain in last place, looking up at a 12-point gap from a playoff spot underneath the Amarillo Bulls (16-21-3, 35 points).
South Division Matchups:
Wenatchee Wild (5th) @ Kenai River Brown Bears (5th Midwest) – Thu., 10:00 p.m. – Fri. & Sat., 10:30 p.m.
RGV Killer Bees (7th) @ Amarillo Bulls (6th) – Fri. & Sat. – 7:05 p.m.
Wichita Falls Wildcats (3rd) @ Lone Star Brahmas (2nd) – Fri. @ Sat. – 7:30 p.m.
ICERAYS BITS…
For the first time this season, the IceRays power play unit was perfect, going 2-for-2 on Saturday night against the Wildcats. This is the third time the IceRays have been perfect in junior franchise history and the first time when awarded multiple chances. The other two perfect power play performances were Oct. 13, 2012 vs. Wichita Falls (1-for-1) in a 4-2 loss and on Jan. 28, 2011 vs. Amarillo (1-for-1) in a 3-2 win. The IceRays have been close to perfection three times previously this season.
Forward Tanner Lomsnes has been on fire over his last three games, recording six points including four goals and two assists. The Red Deer, Alberta, native is one goal away from tying the team’s season record for goals in consecutive games (four) set by Nathan Bryer between Oct. 30 and Nov. 8. In seven games played this month, Lomsnes has five goals and six assists for 11 points, which leads the IceRays in goals and points.
Since the IceRays added forwards Matt Colford and Maksim Dzhioshvili to their roster, the IceRays have earned a 4-2-0 record including a 2-2-0 road record. In those six games, Colford has continued to stay hot on the points trail with three goals and two assists while earning points in his last five-straight games. Dzhioshvili added three points last weekend to bring his totals to two goals and three assists, earning points in his opening two games as well. The IceRays have also scored four of more goals in five of their last six games.
– Go IceRays –
