TOPEKA, KS – The Corpus Christi IceRays fell to the Topeka Roadrunners with a shortened bench by a final score of 8-2 on Thursday night inside the Kansas ExpoCentre.
Like the night before, Topeka got the first two goals of the game. The first came on a scramble in front of the net. Ryan White found the loose puck and beat the sprawling Anthony Stolarz for a 1-0 Roadrunner lead just 2:33 into the game.
Corpus Christi got an opportunity on the power-play, however it was Topeka who cashed in with a short-handed goal. A bad giveaway turned into a Brian Christie breakaway. Christi beat Stolarz for a 2-0 lead just 2:04 after the Ryan White goal.
Beau Walker gave the IceRays life in the first period after Eric Purcell took a low shot from a bad angle, the puck deflected right to Walker who scored his 10th goal of the year pulling Corpus Christi within a goal at the 12:45 mark.
The Roadrunners regained the two goal lead shortly after. Just 0:52 after the Walker goal, Cory Ramsey scored from the left wing circle giving Topeka a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Michael Dery tangled up with Brian Christie just 0:33 into the second period, both dropped the gloves and Dery was ejected for an instigator penalty.
The only goal of the second period came 8:20 into the period off the stick of Ryan White for the second time in the game. White went top shelf from the left wing circle to give Topeka a 4-1 lead.
In the third period, the Roadrunner tacked on four goals and Eric Purcell gave the IceRays their other goal in the game on the power-play with 3:26 left in the game.
Anthony Stolarz stopped 19 of 27 shots in the loss.
The IceRays return home next Friday and Saturday night against the Wichita Falls Wildcats. Puck drops at 7:05PM, coverage begins at 6:50PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on ESPN Radio 1440AM.
Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.goicerays.com. In addition stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/corpuschristiicerays), Twitter (@goicerays), and the team’s Youtube channel ICERAYS TV (@goicerays)
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