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NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

IceRays Win High Scoring Thriller 7-5 Versus Warriors

December 6, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The Corpus Christi IceRays (16-5-2) and Oklahoma Warriors (9-13- 5) played a high scoring thriller at the American Bank Center Friday night that saw the IceRays hang on for a 7-5 victory. Troy Pelton on his 20th birthday scored twice including the empty netter from his own goal line to seal the win.

Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier stated "We'll take the the two points, but it wasn't fun as a coaching staS. We gotta do a better job of tightening up defensively and making sure our goalie can see the puck. We also can't be undisciplined we took two bad penalties at a critical time where you can't do that. We'll adjust that, fix that, and get ready for tomorrow."

The IceRays were in full control of the 1st period and took their first lead just over seven minutes into the game. After an Oklahoma turnover, the IceRays completed a beautiful tick-tac-toe passing play starting with Stephan Kuznetsov who fed it to Sam Troutwine who put it right on the stick of Billy Bidermann in front for the deflection to open the scoring for Corpus Christi. A few moments later, Cooper Conway received a minor penalty for cross- checking putting a dangerous Oklahoma power play on the job, but it was the IceRays that would strike. Pierson Sobush was able to spring Troy Pelton on a breakaway shorthanded who shot it through the five-hole of Warriors Goalie Kyle Jones for 2-0 IceRays lead.

Somehow an IceRays 2-0 lead after one period would turn into a 5-4 lead by the end of the 2nd period. It all started with a Warriors power play that converted oS a wrist shot from the point by Nate Farrell. Two minutes later, Grayson Gerhard making his IceRays debut after being acquired from Amarillo stuSed home a rebound to restore a two-goal lead for the IceRays. Oklahoma would respond again on a goal from Kyle Sorenson to make it a 3-2 game with 13 minutes left in the frame. The scoring would not stop there as Corpus Christi went back on the attack and struck twice, Cody Kempf scored first on a one-timer set up by Carter Krenke and Nick Sinani followed up moments later with his first career goal in the NAHL to give the IceRays their biggest advantage of the night 5-2. Just when you thought things were going to settle, Oklahoma shot right back with two goals 35 seconds apart from

Travis Bryson and Max Petras. We would head to the final 20 minutes with the IceRays up 5- 4.

Oklahoma had trailed the entire game up that point, but that would be short lived as Bryson beat Bryzgalov for the second time to have the Warriors back to level at five. A response was needed, and Corpus Christi would capitalize on a costly turnover oS a Warriors pass intercepted by Kempf who set up Cooper Conway on the back door to put the IceRays back in front 6-5. The drama continued into the final five minutes that saw the IceRays take two penalties within 30 seconds of each other to put the Warriors on 5-on-3-man advantage.

Corpus Christi buckled down and was flawless on the penalty kill not allowing a single shot in more than three minutes total being shorthanded. The Warriors pulled Jones for the extra attacker in search of an equalizer, but Troy Pelton was able to hit the middle of the net from his own goal line to seal a 7-5 win for the IceRays. With tonight's win the IceRays have won seven games at the American Bank Center this season which matches a season total from last year.

For information, please call 361-814-7825, 814-PUCK.

And for more information on the IceRays throughout the oSseason, visit goicerays.com.

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