ICERAYS WEEKLY

Feb 15, 2016

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…
 

Thursday, February 11: Lone Star Brahmas 0, IceRays 3
Shots: IceRays 19, Brahmas 28
PP: IceRays 1-for-6, Brahmas 2-for-4

A hat-trick and a perfect goaltending performance led to the Corpus Christi IceRays (18-20-4) winning 3-0 over the Lone Star Brahmas (27-10-7) on Thursday night at the American Bank Center.

IceRays forward Carter Johnson (PP, 19:59 1st) picked up the game’s first goal on a one-time shot off a faceoff draw to take a 1-0 lead for the home side. In the second, Johnson (17:22 2nd) received a pass from forward Brendan Miller and worked his way to find an opening on the right side to double the lead, 2-0. Johnson (SH, EN, 18:55 3rd) then finished the hat-trick with a shot from his own blue line and sealed the win, 3-0.

IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay (8-8-1) earned his first shutout of the season and second for the team, stopping all 30 shots. Brahmas netminder Conor O’Brien (9-4-5) grabbed the loss, saving 11 of 13 shots.

Friday, February 12: Lone Star Brahmas 4, IceRays 3 (SO)
Shots: Brahmas 30, IceRays 14
PP: Brahmas 0-for-5, IceRays 1-for-5

The Corpus Christi IceRays (18-20-5) and Lone Star Brahmas (28-10-7) went back and forth throughout the game, but the roadside walked away with a 4-3 shootout win.

IceRays forward Regen Cavanagh (PP, 7:27 1st) notched the game’s first goal with the man-advantage before Brahmas defenseman Samu Suominen (10:43 1st) tied the game, 1-1, with a shot at the left point. The IceRays opened the scoring in the second with forward Brady Crabtree’s (3:55 2nd) first with his new team, but the Brahmas forced the game even again, 2-2, thanks to defenseman Bud Madej (PP, 14:32 2nd). IceRays defenseman Trevor Heuser (PP, 11:14 3rd) then put the home side up with his first of the year, and Brahmas defenseman Cameron Clarke (15:50 3rd) forced overtime at 3-3. After a scoreless extra period, both sides went back and forth in the shootout, but Brahmas forward Tomas Brejcha sealed the win with a 2-1 shootout decision and 4-3 final score.

Brahmas netminder Conor O'Brien (10-4-5) stopped 20 of 23 shots in the win, while IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay (8-8-2) turned aside 30 of 33 shots in the shootout loss.

Saturday, February 13: Lone Star Brahmas 4, IceRays 3
Shots: Brahmas 28, IceRays 29
PP: Brahmas 2-for-6, IceRays 1-for-9

The Corpus Christi IceRays (18-21-5) couldn't erase an early deficit, falling 4-2 to the Lone Star Brahmas (29-10-7) on Saturday night at the American Bank Center.

Brahmas defenseman Dalton Skelly (PP, 5:22 1st) picked up the game's first goal with a shot from the blue line and gave his side a 1-0 lead. Just over three minutes later, Brahmas defenseman Bud Madej (8:52 1st) followed up with another from the same location to double the lead, 2-0. On their second power play, Brahmas defenseman Cameron Clarke (PP, 15:58 1st) found an open puck and batted in the rebound to take a 3-0 lead. Early in the second period, Brahmas forward Johan Lundgren (2:16) tucked in a pass on the back door to give Lone Star a 4-0 lead. After a goaltending change, the IceRays found answers late in the second period from forward Drake Lindsay (PP, 17:43 2nd) and defenseman Colton Meekhof (15:30 3rd) to cut the lead in half, 4-2, but couldn't draw closer in the late stages.

Brahmas netminder Conor O'Brien (11-4-5) saved 27 of 29 shots in the win. IceRays goalie Graham Hunt (10-13-3) picked up the loss, turning away 10 of 14 shots in 22:16 minutes, and Dryden McKay halted all 14 shots faced in 36:14 minutes of relief.

 

 

THIS WEEK…

Friday, February 19 @ Amarillo Bulls – 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, February 20 
@ Amarillo Bulls – 7:05 p.m.

The Corpus Christi IceRays embark on their final trip to the Amarillo Civic Center to take on the Amarillo Bulls and finish off the 12-game season series. The IceRays and Bulls have matched up equally through 10 games this season with each side earning a 5-4-1 record after their last meetings to end January. Over the last two seasons, the IceRays and Bulls are also even at a 9-7-2 record. All-time, the IceRays are 20-29-3 against the Bulls while going 8-18-2 at the Amarillo Civic Center.

The Amarillo Bulls split their two-game weekend set against the Odessa Jackalopes with a 8-5 on Friday and 5-2 loss on Saturday at the Amarillo Civic Center. Three different players earned three-point weekends for the Bulls, including recent acquisition Coale Norris and leading point scorer Joey Molinaro, who each had a goal and an assist, as well as George Mika (3 assists). In total, 12 different Bulls scored points with seven of those as different goal-scorers. Goaltender Brian Baker earned his first win with the Bulls on Friday, stopping 25 of 30 shots, and Anton Martinsson stopped 32 of 37 shots in Saturday's loss.

South Division Recap:
In a big matchup at the Kay Yeager Coliseum, the Wichita Falls Wildcats held their ground and swept the Topeka RoadRunners with 6-2 and 2-1 wins heading into an off-weekend to keep themselves ahead of the rest of the South Division. The Lone Star Brahmas remain seven points back after winning two of three against the Corpus Christi IceRays on the road as part of a three-game set. However the IceRays do get three of six possible points, meaning that after a split weekend between the Odessa Jackalopes and Amarillo Bulls, the IceRays hold on to a one-point lead for the fourth and final playoff spot with 16 games remaining.

South Division Standings:
Wichita Falls Wildcats                    34-9-4, 72 points
Lone Star Brahmas                        29-10-7, 65 points
Topeka RoadRunners                    28-18-1, 57 points

Corpus Christi IceRays               18-21-5, 41 points
Odessa Jackalopes                       18-20-4, 40 points
Amarillo Bulls                               10-29-4, 22 points

 

 

IN THE NEWS…

The IceRays and the American Bank Center will be holding a joint press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 1:00 p.m. inside the arena to announce a joint initiative that looks to benefit the Corpus Christi community. The event is open to the media, sponsors and the general public. More details will be announced in the coming days.

 

 

ICERAYS BITS…

IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay was named NAHL South Division Star of the Week on Monday morning for his efforts against the Lone Star Brahmas. Over the three-game set, the 18-year-old recorded a 1-0-1 record with a 1.12 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage while only allowing three goals. The Downer's Grove, Ill., native earned his first shutout of the season and third in his NAHL career on Thursday, stopping all 30 shots faced in a 3-0 win. After helping to earn a point for the IceRays in a 4-3 shootout loss with 30 saves on 33 chances, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound goaltender halted all 14 shots in 36:14 minutes of relief during Saturday's 4-2 loss. McKay has conceded fewer than two goals in five of his last six games as well as eight of his last 10 appearances, improving to 8-8-2 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a.910 save percentage through 21 games

– Defend The Bend –