IceRays Pick up Point in Shootout Loss to Ice Wolves
NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

IceRays Pick up Point in Shootout Loss to Ice Wolves

Published on February 7, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The Corpus Christi IceRays (20-18-5) picked up a single point in a shootout defeat against the New Mexico Ice Wolves (25-15-3) by a final score of 3-2 Saturday night at the Hilliard Center. The IceRays winless streak extends to five games with the defeat.

"Obviously it's a tough one because I thought our guys did a lot of good things tonight - we started on time, competed hard, and Xander gave us a chance to win all night long said Head Coach Kevin St. Jacques. The difference right now is execution in key moments and staying out of situations that swing momentum, and that's on all of us. I liked our resilience, especially on the penalty kill, but we have to find ways to finish when we get opportunities late. We'll regroup, get back to work this week, and use this road trip as a chance to reset and get back to playing IceRays hockey."

Déjà vu struck the Hilliard Center in the opening two minutes as Nick Sinani opened the scoring for the second straight night to put Corpus Christi up 1-0. The IceRays managed the majority of chances in the frame accumulating 15 shots but failed to extend the lead. Goaltenders Xander Miceli and Jackson Silverberg went head-to-head once again between the pipes and picked up where they left off the previous night. New Mexico found their footing late and their most dangerous scorer Andy Early picked up a loose puck at center ice, walked in, and fired a shot past Miceli to tie the game at 1-1. Each team had a power play that failed to convert keeping the game tied at intermission.

The IceRays kept the early goal party going in the second as Justin Thibault weaved his way past defenders and cleaned up his own rebound off the back boards to restore a 2-1 lead 49 seconds in. Corpus Christi found themselves in penalty trouble following the go-ahead goal loading up New Mexico's power play three times. The Ice Wolves spent nearly all six minutes of the man-advantage in the IceRays defensive zone but could not solve Miceli. He made 11 saves in the period including a highlight reel save on Earl trying to tie the game. The IceRays bent but did not break to hold a one goal lead into the third.

Miceli and Davis continued to put on a show as both teams hunted for the ever-important next goal. New Mexico would break through before the halfway point at Earl twisted home his second of the game to tie the game at 2-2. Off the ensuing face-off, a double minor for high sticking put the IceRays on a power play for four minutes. Corpus Christi threatened the final two minutes of the opportunity but came up empty holding the game at two a side. Silverberg ended regulation with 33 saves and Miceli finished with 21 stops sending the game to overtime.

Corpus Christi and New Mexico mustered up just two shots combined in a rather lack luster overtime frame with the best chance coming in the dying seconds of the period. A shootout would decide the extra point.

Each team's first shooter failed to score, and Andy Earl delivered the first blemish in the skills competition to give New Mexico the advantage. After a miss from Thibault, New Mexico trotted out Sean Gibbons with the game on the stick. Gibbons beat Miceli with a clean shot past the love to steal the extra point for New Mexico in a shootout 3-2.

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2026


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