Bucks Get A Treat On Halloween, Win 4-3

Published on October 31, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League beat the Corpus Christi Ice Rays 4-3 on Halloween night, in front of 2,115 fans at the American Bank Center. The Bucks have won four straight games, and improve to 5-2 (10pts) to maintain first place in the Southeast Division.

For the second straight night, the Bucks special teams were superior, as all four of their goals came on the power-play. Rick Kozak and Darryl Smith each potted two power-play goals for Laredo on the night.

The game was tied 3-3 going into the third period, but the Bucks would take the victory when Smith took a pass from Kozak in at the right circle, as wristed it by Ice Rays goaltender Dustin Traylen. Smith now has seven-goals on the season, and including four in the last two night's against Corpus.

Ryan Gibb picked up his first professional win in net for the Bucks, as he set aside 31 of 34 Ice Rays shots.

The Bucks were outshot by the Ice Rays 34-31.

The game got off to a very physical start, as there were two separate fights in the first 30 seconds of the game. Right as the official dropped the puck Laredo's Vincent Zaore, and Corpus's Nick Bachand went at it at center ice, with Zaore getting a game misconduct. Right after that Laredo's Erick Lizon and Corpus' T.J Reynolds faced off at center ice, with both men getting taken down to the ice.

Laredo (2-1 on the road)would strike for three power-play goals in the first 20 minutes, with Rick Kozak striking for two of them.

Kozak gave the Bucks a 1-0 lead when he knocked in a rebound from the left side of the crease past Ice Rays goaltender Dustin Traylen. The tally was Kozak's first as a Bucks, in just his second game.

The Ice Rays (1-4, 2pts) would tie the game up at 1-1 7:52 into the first, when Justin Quenneville brought the puck out of the left corner and snuck a shot off the skate of Bucks rookie goaltender Ryan Gibb.

Laredo would scrore two straight goals, to take a 3-1 lead after one period.

Kozak would sent a strike in from the high slot past Traylen at the 12:25 mark of the first, to net his second power-play goal of the evening.

With just 55 seconds left in the first, Darryl Smith sent a wrist shot from the right circle past Traylen on the power-play. The tally was Smith's sixth goal of the season.

The Bucks were outshot after the first 20 minutes, 13-10.

The Ice Rays would battle back to tie the game at 3-3, scoring two goals in the second period.

Corpus Christi cut Laredo's lead to 3-2, just 2:30 into the period when Veteran Chris Richards deflected a shot in front of the net past Gibb on the power-play. The tally was Richard's fifth goal of the season.

The Ice Rays would tie the game at 3-3 at the 9:38 mark of the second period, when Ryan Bennett sent a wrist shot from the high slot past Gibb, and into the back of the net. The score was Bennett's second of the campaign.

Laredo, despite being outscored 2-0 in the second period, outshot Corpus Christi 12-10 in the period.

Traylen falls to 0-2 against his former team, as he took the loss in net, stopping 26 of 30 Laredo attempts.

The Bucks will finish up their three-in-three Saturday night, when they travel to take on the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. Game time is 7:35pm.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2008


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