CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (9-12-3) found life in their power play and edged out the Amarillo Bulls (6-20-3) 2-1 on Friday night at the American Bank Center. The IceRays have now won three-straight and all three at home against Amarillo.
An early Amarillo power play put the IceRays back just 1:30 into the first period when Bulls defenseman Tyler Hall’s shot from the right point fought through traffic and gave the road side a 1-0 lead. The first period drifted back and forth with momentum, but Bulls netminder Anton Martinsson started to become a difference-maker in keeping the IceRays at bay in the opening frame.
The IceRays poured on the pressure in the second period and broke through the Bulls netminder. At 3:29, while on a power play, IceRays forward Toby Kircher slipped through the Bulls defense and placed a short-side forehand shot over Martinsson’s shoulder to draw even, 1-1. Shots rifled endlessly toward the Bulls’ net, and the IceRays recorded a season-high 21 shots in the period though only could find the net once.
The shooting affair continued into the third period, and the IceRays found another answer to push ahead. At 11:06, forward Regen Cavanagh jammed home the puck down low to the left of the net for the team’s second power play goal of the night and a 2-1 lead. Tonight marks the first game this season the IceRays converted on more than one power play opportunity. Amarillo pulled their goalie late in the game to try to equalize, but the IceRays held off the road side to hang on to a 2-1 victory. The IceRays outshot the Bulls 47-28 en route to their highest shot total of the season.
IceRays goaltender Dryden McKay (5-6-1) earned the win, stopping 27 of 28 shots, while Martinsson (6-15-3) picked up the loss, turning aside 45 of 47 shots. The IceRays go for their second-straight sweep at the American Bank Center on Saturday, Dec. 12 and close out the weekend series against the Amarillo Bulls on City/County Night, presented by Citgo. Tickets are available at www.Ticketmaster.com and the American Bank Center Box Office.
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).
