CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays (21-5-2) had their seven game win streak and nine game point streak snapped on Saturday night at the hands of the Shreveport Mudbugs (17-12-1) who held on for a 2-1 win at the American Bank Center. The IceRays win streak was a season long dating back to a win over Lone Star 3-2. The IceRays and Mudbugs will play a rubber match tomorrow afternoon at the American Bank Center with puck drop at 3:05.
The IceRays peppered Mudbugs Goalie Aden Gariepy with four shots in the opening minute of the game looking to get off to a quick start, but Gariepy turned all four aside and set the tone in net for Shreveport making his first start against the IceRays this season. After the first few shifts for Corpus Christi, the Mudbugs began to tilt the ice and were flying throug neutral ice making plays and firing shots on Vladislav Bryzgalov making consecutive starts with the IceRays for the first time this year. One of the plays was a beautiful give and go with Andrej Paricka and Gleb Akimov who combined for the opening goal to give the Mudbugs a 1-0 lead. Shreveport ended up with 14 shots on goal in the period.
In the 2nd period, Shreveport was able to do what they were unable to do on Friday night and extended their lead with a goal from Gleb Akimov. A broken play behind the IceRays net led to a loose puck in the crease that Akimov was able to bat home for a 2-0 Mudbugs lead. Multiple power play chances for both sides were had in the middle frame including a two-man advantage for Corpus Christi. The IceRays and Mudbugs were a combined 0-for-10 on the power play. Corpus Christi would however find open space passed Gariepy via Stephan Kuznetsov who ended an eight game goal less skid with a perfectly placed wrist shot to cut the lead in half. The IceRays would hope to build off the momentum into the final period.
Corpus controlled the majority of possession in the final 20 but a few penalties stopped them in their tracks as the looked to test Shreveport to the final whistle. The IceRays would pull Bryzgalov late for the extra attacker following a penalty kill but ran out of time as they only mustered up five shots in the period. Gariepy made 26 saves on 27 shots in the victory while Bryzgalov made 32 saves in the loss.