Bees Kralj Past Rayz

Published on November 7, 2004 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


Hidalgo, Tx - The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees remained unbeaten at home this season and won their third consecutive game of the year with a 3-2 overtime shootout victory over the Corpus Christi Rayz in front of a standing room only crowd of 5,600 at the Dodge Arena Saturday night.

Rayz forward Jason Baird placed the Rayz with a 1-0 lead 9:08 into the game, converting on one of four Rayz first period power play opportunities in five-on-three fashion. Ryan Shmyr knocked in a Jason Hawes rebound past Rayz goaltender Brent Zelenewich with 47-seconds remaining in the period to tie the contest up at 1-1.

After a scoreless second period, the Bees took their first lead of the game with 5:14 remaining in the game with a power play goal credited to Jason Tessier. Tessier fired a shot from the right-point that found a hole through the screen set in front of the net by Shmyr that deflected into the top shelf. Corpus Christi silenced the overflow crowd ten seconds later with a quick blast by Rayz forward Greg Bullock that went over the left shoulder of Bees goaltender Jacque Vezina and knotted the game up at 2-2.

The teams exchanged offensive opportunities in the overtime portion, and the goaltenders kept the game tied, forcing the shootout. In the shootout, Matic Kralj and Danny Helmers converted on their opportunities, while Vezina stopped all four Rayz shooters faced to win the contest. Kralj was credited with the game winning goal, giving him his sixth career game winning goal and his first overtime game winning goal of his career.

Vezina, who stopped 30 of 32 shots in the game, improved his season record to 1-1-0 and earned his first home ice victory in five appearances at the Dodge Arena in his career. Zelenewich takes the hard-luck loss in net for the Rayz and his record goes to 0-2-2 after a solid 41 of 42 save performance. Rio Grande Valley tallied their second consecutive 40-plus shot performance, posting 45 shots in the game (tied for fourth most in franchise history). They fired away the second most in team history in their previous game with 48.

Rio Grande Valley now begins an 11 games in 19 days set Tuesday with a kids day 11AM matinee against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, before hitting the road to Colorado.

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

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: CRP-Baird (powerplay) (Bullock, John) 10:52. RGV-Shmyr (Hawes, Newson) 19:13. Penalties: Mizerek, RGV (High Sticking, Minor, 2 min) 1:37. Shmyr, RGV (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 4:59. Newson, RGV (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 7:53. Holland, RGV (Cross Checking, Minor, 2 min) 8:47.

SECOND PERIOD -- Penalties: Jackson, CRP (Hooking, Minor, 2 min) 2:09. Scatchard, CRP (Board Checking, Minor, 2 min) 4:41. Gilmore, CRP (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 8:09. Linna, RGV (Holding, Minor, 2 min) 10:31. Linna, RGV (Fisticuffs, Major, 5 min) 10:31. Miller, CRP (Fisticuffs, Major, 5 min) 10:31. Holland, RGV (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 13:11. Newson, RGV (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 19:29. Baird, CRP (Slashing, Minor, 2 min) 19:29.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: RGV-Tessier (powerplay) (Hawes, Newson) 14:46. CRP-Bullock (John, Jackson) 14:56. Penalties: Shmyr, RGV (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 16:06. Periard, CRP (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 16:06.

OVERTIME -- Penalties: Linna, RGV (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 5:00. Baird, CRP (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 5:00.

SHOOTOUT -- Scoring: RGV-Kralj.

Shots on goal: -------------------------------------------------- Corpus Christi 10 9 10 3 -- 32 Rio Grande Valley 9 16 14 5 -- 44 --------------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Corpus Christi - 1 of 6, Rio Grande Valley - 1 of 3 Goalies: Corpus Christi, Brent Zelenewich (43 shots, 41 saves;) Rio Grande Valley, Jacque Vezina (32 shots, 30 saves;) A: 5,600. Referees Gord Christian. Linesmen: Chance Haugen, Brad Duncan.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 7, 2004


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