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NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

IceRays quell Rage in shootout

September 18, 2010 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


BLAINE, Minn. - For a team that at one point had a scoreless streak pushing 200 minutes, the IceRays left the North American Hockey League's Showcase Tournament with a flourish.

Corpus Christi picked up its third consecutive victory on Saturday afternoon, clipping the Dawson Creek Rage 4-3 in a shootout at the Schwan Super Rink.

That made the trip north a successful one for the IceRays (3-1, 6 points), who were shut out in their season opener and blanked in two preseason games. They finished the Showcase with 14 goals in the final three games.

"It was a great explosion of offense that we had," said forward Kevin Crowe, who notched the shootout winner. "We switched up lines a little bit and got clicking. We just needed to find that flow to put pucks into the net.

"This is what we expected - we expected to win at least three. We came out just how we wanted to come in and play. The first game (a 1-0 loss to Traverse City) was unfortunate, but then on, we were rolling."

Goalie Pheonix Copley, getting his second consecutive start, made 24 saves, including six in overtime and all five Rage shootout attempts. The IceRays had to kill off a carryover penalty from the end of regulation and then another for the final 1:52 of overtime.

The IceRays trailed 2-0 at the 13:44 mark of the first period, but got a critical goal from Mike Benedict just 38 seconds later to draw within one.

"It could've got ugly if they got the next one," IceRays coach Brent Hughes said. "I was telling the guys that the next goal's very important for us. They coughed up the puck and (Benedict) capitalized on it and made a great play."

Cody Milligan then tallied at 18:55 for the equalizer and Kyle Hughes' power-play goal early in the second gave the IceRays a lead that held until midway through the third.

"We've had different guys step up every game here," Brent Hughes said. "It's been great."

The game was dominated by its chippiness, with six players ejected, including IceRays forwards Brandon Marshall and Josh Munford and defenseman Tommy Dowell. In his two fights, IceRays enforcer Munford pummeled the Rage's Jon Johannesson and Ryan Matthews.

"Going into it, we knew they had a big roster and liked to finish their checks," Munford said. "We just tried to match them step for step. The game of hockey is a game of hitting. Emotions are going to fly; you never know what's going to happen."

The previous three games lacked much rancor, but Hughes was pleased to see his team's response to the Rage, which has only two players under 6-foot.

"They're a big, strong team coming out of Canada and they play that way and I think they took a step back after they saw we matched what they had and probably did a little better there," Hughes said.

"We didn't hesitate to get involved. That cost us a little bit in the penalty box, but we showed up to play the game tonight. I think that definitely put the intimidation factor on our side.

"The year's still short. We've still got some tinkering to do as a team, but I was happy with what I saw the last three games of this tournament."

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