IceRays Advance to Division Semi-Finals After Sweep of Grit

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NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

IceRays Advance to Division Semi-Finals After Sweep of Grit

April 12, 2025 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The Corpus Christi IceRays complete the sweep of the Colorado Grit in the best of three Play-in-Series with an emphatic 7-3 victory on Saturday night at the American Bank Center. With the win the IceRays advance to the South Division semi-finals for the first time since 2013 where they will face the Shreveport Mudbugs in a best of five series.

It was all IceRays in the 1st period who scored three times on Grit net-minder Pete Sterling with three back hand shots from Nick Sinani, Pierson Sobush and Carter Krenke to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Sinani opened the scoring at the 8:14 mark after picking off a pass and lifted a shot past Sterling to capitalize on the IceRays momentum. Corpus Christi would double the lead four minutes later on a beautiful toe drag and shot into the top shelf by Sobush to provide some breathing room. The games first penalty came in the final minute of the frame on Lucca Ori loading up the IceRays power play for the first time and with seven seconds remaining in the period Cooper Conway slipped a pass to Krenke who pulls to the back hand and deposits the puck in the back of the net to cap off the three-goal 1st period.

The Grit had no answer for the IceRays offense that poured on another four goals in the middle frame. After a successful penalty kill by the IceRays Michael Valdez led the charge the other way and snapped a wrist shot into the cage to extend the IceRays lead to 4-0. Just over a minute later at four-on-four Krenke found Max Ranstrom slicing in front who deflected it past Sterling to make it 5-0 Corpus Christi. The IceRays would tack on two more for good measure late in the frame off the stick of Stepan Kuznetsov for his first of the postseason. Andrew Hayek had the 7th goal of the night from the blue line on a shot that changed directions.

Colorado would not go away easily in the 3rd period as they finally found an answer for Motew on a couple of power play goals from George Poirier to make it 7-2. The Grit would add one more from William Johnson, but it was too late as the IceRays were able to hold on and take Game 2 by a final score of 7-3 to complete the sweep and advance the next round in the Robertson Cup Playoffs.

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