Bees Comeback Bid Falls Short in OT to Corpus Christi

Published on November 21, 2004 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


Hidalgo, Tx- The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees bounced back from a 3-0 deficit, but had their hopes of ending a six-game losing streak come to an end as Greg Bullock scored an overtime game-winning power play goal with 34-seconds remaining in overtime to give the Corpus Christi Rayz a 4-3 win in front of a standing-room only crowd of 5,600 at Dodge Arena.

Bullock was hanging around the left slot while players were tied-up diving around the right-circle inside the Rayz attacking zone scrambling for a loose puck. As the players converged, the puck jumped out to the open Bullock, who stared down Bees goaltender Jacque Vezina and placed the puck through the five-hole. The goal sent the Rayz into jubilation and the Bees into spirited frustration.

The Bees, who were trailing 3-0 in the second period after goals by Dominic Periard and Dave Gilmore 30-seconds apart 1:17 into the period, could have easily had packed their bags and settled for their seventh consecutive regulation loss, but they received a shorthanded goal by Derek Holland 7:00 into the period, via a forced turnover by Justin Dziama, and a goal by Bill Newson 6:56 later to cut the deficit by one through two periods of play. The Bees two second period goals matched their season's worth of second period goals, as the Bees had only tallied 2 second period goals headin into the contest.

Rio Grande Valley began getting aggravated in the third period after Fred L'Ecuyer issued Bees defenseman Sean Gillam a double-minor high sticking violation after slamming Gilmore to the boards. Troy Linna was whistled for a hooking minor moments later resulting in a five-on-three advantage. The Bees shorthanded crew was able to get through the shorthanded sequences, which gave them confidence late in the game and it eventually paid off. Josh Mizerek, who is a defenseman, was playing forward due to an injury to Dziama, and he knocked a Rayz clearing attempt off the boards and skated the puck behind the net. From there, he worked the puck to Matic Kralj, who found Daymen Bencharski in the slot. Bencharski, a rookie product of Ohio State University tallied the game's tying goal and his first North American professional goal by beating Rayz goaltender and University of Michigan product Josh Blackburn with 2:58 remaining. The score would remain tied 3-3 at the end of regulation.

Overtime play was back-and-forth, but a slashing penalty by Jason Tessier with 2:16 remaining in overtime heated the Bees bench and opened the door for the Rayz. Bullock's goal converted the opportunity and gave the Bees their first-ever non-shootout overtime loss in franchise history. The loss now converts the Bees losing streak into a seven-game winless streak, because the Bees did dodge the regulation loss and grabbed a standing-point with the overtime result.

The two teams will close out the two-game home-and-home weekend set Sunday night, as the Bees make their first trip to Corpus Christi's AmericanBank Center.

-------------------------------------------------- Corpus Christi 1 2 0 1 -- 4 Rio Grande Valley 0 2 1 0 -- 3 --------------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: CRP-Gilmore (Carter, Werner) 14:38. Penalties: McIver, CRP (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 1:28. Guenther, RGV (Too Many Men, Bench Minor, 2 min) 7:27. Jackson, CRP (Holding Stick, Minor, 2 min) 10:08. Shmyr, RGV (High Sticking, Minor, 2 min) 18:20.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: CRP-Periard (Bullock, Baird) 0:47. CRP-Gilmore (Carter, McIver) 1:17. RGV-Holland (shorthanded) (Dziama) 7:00. RGV-Newson (powerplay) (Tessier) 13:56. Penalties: Jackson, CRP (Obstr-Hooking, Minor, 2 min) 9:11. Jackson, CRP (Hooking, Minor, 2 min) 12:10. Gillam, RGV (Hooking, Minor, 2 min) 18:06.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: RGV-Bencharski (Kralj, Mizerek) 17:02. Penalties: Gillam, RGV (High Sticking, Double Minor, 4 min) 1:34. Linna, RGV (Hooking, Minor, 2 min) 3:54.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: CRP-Bullock (powerplay) (Noga) 4:26. Penalties: Tessier, RGV (Slashing, Minor, 2 min) 2:44.

Shots on goal: -------------------------------------------------- Corpus Christi 12 9 5 2 -- 28 Rio Grande Valley 17 13 6 3 -- 39 --------------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Corpus Christi - 1 of 7, Rio Grande Valley - 1 of 4 Goalies: Corpus Christi, Josh Blackburn (39 shots, 36 saves;) Rio Grande Valley, Jacque Vezina (28 shots, 24 saves;) A: 5,600. Referees Frederick LEcuyer. Linesmen: Chris Libett, Moe LeBlanc.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Central Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central