CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (24-27-6) found two goals from forward Brad Power including the game-winner to seal a 3-2 win over the Wichita Falls Wildcats (42-10-5) on Friday night at the American Bank Center.
Both the IceRays and Wildcats pushed in the opening period to find the game’s first goal, but the neutral zone became a point of contention for much of the frame and the contest. After a tightly-knit majority of the period, the Wildcats found the game’s first goal. At 16:53, forward Ryan Burnett found forward Garrett VanWyhe wide open on the left side of the net for a one-time tap into the net to gain a 1-0 lead.
The IceRays came surging back in the second period early and often, and after earning a power play just before the midway mark the home side found their first. At 9:13, forward Brad Power slipped a shot through the near side of the netminder along the left wing on the man-advantage to draw the game even, 1-1. Just a little while later at 13:16, the IceRays converted again, this time with forward Mason Krueger finding a fortunate bounce off a Wildcats defenseman to jump out to a 2-1 lead.
The game clamped down in the third period, and offense was sparse until the final eight minutes of the frame when the Wildcats geared up their pressure. That pressure paid off in the final minutes thanks to Wildcats forward Nikita Litviak also finding a fortunate bounce off an IceRays player to tie the game again, 2-2, at 17:31. The game would go into overtime, and the IceRays controlled most of the possession. At 4:36, IceRays forward found Power wide open for a one-time shot on a two-on-one rush to seal the game at 3-2 with his second goal of the evening.
IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay (14-13-2) earned the win, stopping 23 of 25 shots, while Wildcats netminder Justin Kapelmaster (32-7-3) picked up the overtime loss, halting 35 of 38 shots. The IceRays close their 2015-16 home schedule on Saturday, April 2 at 7:11 p.m. against the Wichita Falls Wildcats from the American Bank Center on Pack The House For Charity. Tickets are available at www.Ticketmaster.com and the American Bank Center Box Office. Coverage begins at 6:55 p.m. on SportsJuice.com, FASTHockey.com, and 87.7FM in-arena.
Contact the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK or go to www.goicerays.com for details on season tickets along with pricing and seating. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Vine (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).
