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IceRays Drop Consecutive Games to Wichita, Lubbock Over Thanksgiving Weekend

December 2, 2002 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


ICERAYS REWIND: The IceRays were very generous over Thanksgiving this year. Perhaps maybe too generous. The Rays dropped consecutive games to Wichita and Lubbock away from the "Igloo" this weekend to fall two games below .500 and 3-6 on the road. The giving began Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita as the IceRays spotted a 4-0 lead to the Thunder in the game's first 13 minutes. Travis Clayton started the scoring when he one-timed a feed from Pat Stachniak over goalie Brent Belecki (Calgary, ALB) at 4:50 of the 1st period for a 1-0 lead. 1:45 seconds later on the power play, Jeff Petruic scored his first of 4 goals on the night to extend the lead to 2-0. Petruic would torch the IceRays again at 9:11 of the 1st period when he charged in from the left circle and slipped the puck underneath Belecki's pads to make it 3-0 Wichita. The bleeding would only stop after Petruic capped off his amazing first period one-timing a Stachniak pass from the center blue line by Belecki on a 5-on-3 power play at 12:54, giving Petruic a hat-trick and the Thunder a commanding 4-0 lead heading into the 1st intermission. The IceRays would get one back in the 2nd period when Cosmo Dupaul (Pointe-Claire, PQ) created a turnover in the Wichita zone, and Russell Hogue (LaSalle, MB) found a streaking a Ken Richardson (Peace Rivar, ALB) at the left post who slipped it by goalie Patrik Lovisek at 7:57 to make it a 4-1 deficit. The IceRays though let an excellent opportunity slip away later in the period when on a 2-man advantage for a 1:47 seconds, the Rays could not find the back of the net. In the 3rd period, Petruic tallied his fourth goal of the night to make it 5-1 before a late rally by the Rays made the final score a respectable 5-4. Layne Roland (Vernon, BC) scored two goals 1:54 seconds apart to extend his scoring streak to a season-high 8 games. The IceRays were out-shot 30-22 for the game, and the league's best power play was held in check at 2-10. Saturday night the IceRays hoped for a better start in Lubbock, and they got it when Dupaul intercepted goalie Mike Brusseau's pass and fed Shaun Fairweather (London, ONT) in the slot who beat Brusseau for a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the 1st period. The Cotton Kings came back and tied it in the 2nd period when Dave MacIntyre beat Belecki glove-side from the right crease at 6:26 to even the game at 1-1. Late in the 3rd period the Kings would get the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner from Dave Ambler, his first career game-winning goal, at 12:55 to give the Cotton Kings a 2-1 win. The IceRays were out-shot for the second consecutive night 32-23 and did not have a power play. It was the first time this season the Rays did not have at least one power play advantage through the course of a game.

NO LUCK UP NORTH: After losses this weekend, the IceRays have still yet to beat the Wichita Thunder or the Lubbock Cotton Kings. The Rays are 0-3 lifetime against the Thunder and 0-6 lifetime against the Cotton Kings. Lubbock returns to Memorial Coliseum on December 13th. The IceRays do not play Wichita again this season.

POWER OUTAGE: The IceRays on Saturday did not go on the power play once against Lubbock, marking the first time that has happened this season. The last time the IceRays did not have a power play in a game was on 3/8/02. Ironically, the Rays lost to the Lubbock Cotton Kings 6-1 that night at Memorial Coliseum. The IceRays still lead the league in power play percentage at 24.8% (27-109).

WELCOME HOME: In his first trip back to Lubbock since being traded, forward Cosmo Dupaul assisted on the IceRays only goal of the night against his former team. Dupaul spent two seasons in Lubbock tallying 46 goals and 92 assists before being traded to the IceRays on 10/15/02 in exchange for defenseman Mike Dawson. Dawson, who never suited up in a regular season game for the IceRays, assisted on Dave Ambler's game-winning goal in the 3rd period.

8 IS ENOUGH: Forward Layne Roland's season and team-high 8-game scoring streak ended Saturday night in Lubbock. Roland had 4 goals and 5 assists during the streak, and is now just 8 goals behind Geoff Bumstead for second-place all-time in goals scored by an IceRay.

SHOT-OUT: The IceRays managed just 45 shots on goal in their two-game set this weekend, the lowest shot output for any weekend this season so far. The 22 shots on goal Friday night in Wichita were a season-low.

HATS OFF: Jeff Petruic's hat-trick against the IceRays on Friday marks the third time this season the IceRays have surrendered a hat-trick to an opposing player. Austin's Kelly Smart and Laredo's Eric Schneider have both pulled off the trick against the Rays. Petruic did one better and actually scored 4 goals, tying the season-high in the CHL. Amarillo's Henry Kuster scored 4 goals on 10/19/02 against Wichita.

MARTINIS ON "ICERAYS MONDAY": "IceRays Monday" continues tonight from 5PM-6PM at The Martini Bar, located at the corners of Everhart and Saratoga in Corpus Christi. The Voice of the IceRays Dan Weiss hosts the show every Monday on ESPN Radio 1230AM KSIX, and is joined by Head Coach Al Sims and several IceRays players. Tonight team captain Ken Richardson will be Dan's guest at 5:30PM following Coach Sims.

UP NEXT: The IceRays will complete their 4-game road swing Thursday night in San Angelo against the Saints. The two teams then return to Memorial Coliseum on Friday for the back-end of the home-and-home series. Saturday night the IceRays travel to Fort Worth for an inter-conference match-up with the Brahmas. All games can be heard on 104.5FM The Octopus with Dan Weiss and Rick Dames, or on the Internet at www.icerays.com and www.sportsjuice.com. Broadcast time begins at 7PM each night with the "American Tire and Wheel Pre-game Show."

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