IceRays and Grit Play-in-Series Preview
April 9, 2025 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - After a seven game road trip to conclude the regular season the #3 Corpus Christi IceRays are preparing to host the #6 Colorado Grit in a best of three play-in-series at the American Bank Center. The IceRays and Grit played a total of four times this season with the IceRays winning three out of the four including a sweep in Colorado back in November. This is the sixth time in franchise history the IceRays have made the postseason and Colorado's first appearance since joining the NAHL in 2023-24.
BROADCAST / GAME INFORMATION
All three games will be held at the American Bank Center on the following dates and start times:
Game 1 - Friday, April 11 @ 7:35 PM CT
Game 2 - Saturday, April 12 @ 7:35 PM CT
*Game 3 - Sunday, April 13 @ 3:05 PM CT
*if necessary
Play-in-series tickets are on sale now starting at $15 via Ticketmaster or the box office at the American Bank Center. If tickets are purchased for Sunday and there is no game Ticketmaster will automatically refund. Game specials include $6 beer and popcorn on Friday and Saturday features a Family Four Pack including four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $56. Discounted Military & First Responder tickets for all games are only available at the box office, with a valid ID.
Fans can catch the games on NATV or listen on Retro Radio Corpus Christi by downloading the Retro Radio Corpus Christi app on your smartphone and hear the "Voice of the IceRays" Joey Erickson all weekend long. The pregame show on NATV and Retro Radio CC will begin 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Friday's game will also be broadcasted on KDF-TV Corpus Christi.
BEEN TOO LONG
The IceRays and Grit played all four meetings in a span of less than a month and wrapped up their season series before Thanksgiving. In October, the Grit made their only trip to the Coastal Bend that saw both sides win 3-1 over the weekend. The following month the IceRays went to Greeley and swept the Grit with a pair of wins including 2-1 in overtime off the stick of Lars Petter-Eckholm. Corpus Christi went 1-for-20 on the power play and 15-for-18 on the penalty kill in the four games. Former IceRays Goalie Nikita Volsky appeared in three of the contests while current Goalie Vladislav Bryzgalov was in between the pipes for the series finale in Corpus Christi. IceRays Captain Pierson Sobush has 12 points in eight career games versus the Grit including a hat-trick on March 3, 2023, in Colorado.
POSTSEASON BREAKDOWN
This weekend in the South Division features two play-in-series between the #3 IceRays and #6 Grit and #4 New Mexico Ice Wolves facing the #5 El Paso Rhinos in Albuquerque. The #1 Lone Star Brahmas and #2 Shreveport Mudbugs received first round byes and await their opponents for next week. Lone Stars will take on the lowest seed remaining after this weekend while Shreveport will face the highest seed remaining in the division semifinals. The semifinals and finals will be a best of five series. The four NAHL Divisional Playoff Champions will advance to the Robertson Cup Championship in Blaine, Minnesota. Once the four NAHL Divisional Playoff Champions are determined, clubs will be seeded 1-4 based upon their finish in the NAHL regular season standings. The game schedule will be as follows: The #1 seed will face the #4 seed in a best-of-three semifinal series. The #2 seed will face the #3 seed in a best-of-three semifinal series. The best-of-three semifinal series will begin on Friday, May 16th. The two series winners will advance onto a winner-take-all championship game on Tuesday, May 20th to determine the Robertson Cup National Champion.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 9, 2025
- The Fight for Second Place Continues Through the Last Regular Season Weekend - Anchorage Wolverines
- IceRays and Grit Play-in-Series Preview - Corpus Christi IceRays
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.
