Brahmas Beat Rays With Third Period Rally

January 29, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Fort Worth Brahmas News Release


NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas (January 29)- The Texas Brahmas celebrated their 700th game in team history Thursday night with a road win against the Corpus Christi IceRays. The IceRays, who before tonights match-up, held a 14-0-1 record when holding the lead going into the third period, gave up four Texas goals in the last eighteen minutes of the game.

The Brahmas fell behind early in the first period when Adam Powell scored on the IceRays' first power play of the game. Craig Minard took a hooking penalty twenty eight seconds into the game, one of two Texas would take in the first period. Texas' Justin Kinnunen took the second on a tripping penalty at 8:21 in period one.

Brahmas' third ranked power play unit in the CHL was unable to answer Corpus when Curtis Huppe was called for cross checking with eight minutes to play in the first. Going down a man twice in the first period, Texas was able to keep the shots 8-10 in favor of the IceRays, with solid defensive play.

At 4:55 in the second period, Chris Richards put his second point on the board when he scored on a pass from Mark Tobin, that lifted the IceRays up two goals to none on the Brahmas. Intensity on both sides of the puck increased throughout the second period.

Texas had some great scoring opportunities but Corpus goalie Kris Tebbs kept the fourteen shots Texas took out of the net. Tebbs was helped by Corpus defenseman Adam Powell late in the third when he swept Scott Sheppard's rebound from the crease to keep the Brahmas scoreless. The only penalty in the second period came when Skworchinski, of the Brahmas, was called for interference.

The Brahmas answered all three goals with a solid offensive effort from Scott Shepperd and Justin Kinnunen in the third period. The IceRays' Matt Smyth took an early tripping penalty 2:29 into the period. On an assist from Sheppard, Kinnunen scored Texas' first goal of the game and his 11th of the season. Only 89 seconds later Kinnunen scored again on a rebound in front of the net to put the Brahmas even with the IceRays at two goals a piece.

The Brahmas went on the power play again at 5:07 in the third when Greg McConnell was hooked by Chris Shaffer. It only took twenty three seconds before Jason Deitsch of the Brahmas was called for tripping at 5:30 in the period. Deitsch redeemed himself later in the period when he was able to put a loose puck past Tebbs after a scramble in front of the net. It was his 22nd point in only fifteen games with the Brahmas.

Corpus was given another chance to even up the score with their 5th power play of the game after Texas' Eric Lundberg was called for hooking at 13:14 in the third period. Scott Sheppard earned his third point of the game on an empty net goal with fifty four seconds to play in the game. This was the Brahmas 4th win on their current streak.

The Brahmas will return to the NYTEX Sports Centre tomorrow night to face the Mississippi RiverKings. The first 1000 fans in attendance will receive a free hat courtesy of NYTEX Sports. On Saturday, Texas will take on the Tulsa Oilers for their third game in as many nights. Both games are 7:05 PM starts. For ticket information, please contact the Brahmas Box Office at (817) 336-4423.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2009


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