IceRays Snap Skid in Dominate Fashion over Wranglers, 4-2
NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

IceRays Snap Skid in Dominate Fashion over Wranglers, 4-2

Published on January 2, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The Corpus Christi IceRays (14-15-3) dominated the Amarillo Wranglers (14-16-1) Friday night at the Hilliard Center, ending a four-game skid with a 4-2 victory in the series opener. The IceRays outshot the Wranglers 49-17, holding Amarillo to fewer than 10 shots in each period.

"That was the response we were looking for," said IceRays Head Coach Kevin St. Jacques. "Our compete level was there from the opening faceoff. We didn't get rewarded early, but we stayed patient, kept putting pucks on net, and eventually wore them down. That's the kind of effort we expect every night."

Corpus Christi jumped all over Amarillo in the first, firing 17 shots on net in the opening 20 minutes. Despite the heavy shot advantage and multiple scoring chances, Wranglers goaltender Charles-Antoine Girard was sensational, keeping the game scoreless. The IceRays earned three power plays in the frame, including an extended 5-on-3, but failed to convert on each man-advantage. At the other end, IceRays netminder Xander Miceli turned aside nine shots to send the game into the intermission scoreless.

Both offenses awoke early in the middle period, with Corpus Christi striking just 37 seconds in on Justin Thibault's sixth goal of the season. Amarillo responded quickly, as Kirill Evstigneev buried a one-timer less than a minute later to tie the game 1-1. The IceRays answered after a pair of penalties, as defenseman Islom Dzabberganov scored at 4-on-4 to restore a one-goal lead. The Tashkent, Russia, native now leads all IceRays defensemen with five goals this season. Corpus Christi continued to apply pressure but was unable to extend the lead before the break.

The IceRays opened the third period with an offensive barrage, with Girard doing all he could to keep the Wranglers within reach. Following a fourth unsuccessful power play, Ture Anund fired a shot through traffic deflected by Andrej Paricka on the back door for his 11th goal of the season, giving Corpus Christi a 3-1 lead. Amarillo refused to go quietly, as Ty Izadi snapped a shot past Miceli to cut the deficit to 3-2 with a half a period remaining. Before things could get any more interesting, IceRays forward Johnny Maruna broke free down the left wing and ripped a shot into the top corner to seal the 4-2 victory.

NEXT GAME The IceRays and Wranglers wrap up the weekend series tomorrow night at the Hilliard Center on City County Night! All Nueces County employees get in free when they show a valid ID at the box office. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. You can also tune in live on NAHLtv or listen for free on the Retro Radio CC app.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2026


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