Laredo edges Corpus Christi 4-3

February 24, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


More than 4,300 fans filled the American Bank Center for Saturday Night's Corpus Christi Rayz rematch with the Laredo Bucks. A playoff-like atmosphere yielded a back and forth game before Laredo took advantage of a late Rayz mistake to beat Corpus Christi 4-3. Igor Pohanka and Matt Turek each had two goals as the Bucks beat the Rayz for the first time in four games. Corpus Christi fell to 28-19-6 on the year and nine points behind the Bucks for first place in the Southern Conference and the Southeast Division. The Rayz and the Bucks will meet three more times this season. Corpus Christi has 11 games remaining this season, and five more at the American Bank Center. The Rayz will return to the ice on Friday night when they travel to Odessa to face the Jackalopes.

The Bucks took the game's first lead with a power play goal late in the frame. On a two-man advantage, Jeff Bes found the puck from just outside the top of the crease and slammed it past Ron Vogel at 17:49 for his fifth goal in the last two games. The Bucks outshot the Rayz 10-6 in the period.

In the second the Bucks upped their advantage to 2-0 when Bucks newcomer Igor Pohanka scored at 12:30. The Rayz climbed back within one late in the frame when Matt Turek rushed into the Bucks zone and snapped a shot through Eric Marvin's legs from the right circle at 18:19. The Rayz and Bucks both put up 11 shots on goal in the second period.

In the third period, Turek struck again for Corpus Christi. The Rayz captain stole the puck at neutral territory and skated into the zone, backhanding a low shot past Marvin at 10:16 to tie the score at 2-2. The goal began a flurry of four goals in a three and a half minute span. Laredo recaptured the lead at 11:39 when Bobby Chaumont found a cutting Adam Rivet who redirected a puck into the high right corner of the net. The Rayz then tied the contest for the second time in the third period at 13:22 on a power play goal. Jason Baird found Todd Paul at the left circle where he slapped a shot upstairs over a crouched Marvin to even the score at 3-3. However, just 26 seconds later the Bucks took the lead after a Rayz miscue. Vogel, the Rayz netminder, left the puck behind the net not realizing Laredo's Pohanka was right there. Pohanka scooped the puck up and wrapped it around into the empty net to give the Bucks the decisive tally. The Rayz had chances down the stretch to tie, but Eric Marvin denied them. In the closing minutes, Marvin made a remarkable save of Jay Hardwick's shot from the left circle. The Bucks held on for the 4-3 victory.

Vogel turned aside 27 of 31 shots suffering just his third regulation loss in his last dozen decisions. He fell to 18-11-4. Marvin earned the win allowing three goals on 30 shots improving to 17-5-4. The Bucks outshot the Rayz 31-30. The Rayz went 1-8 on the power play and the Bucks went 1-7. The Bucks win was their fifth in a row and snapped a three-game winning streak for the Rayz over Laredo. Corpus Christi los for just the eighth time in 2007 - with each loss coming by one goal.

Corpus Christi is your town and the Rayz are Your Team! Come support the Rayz as they make a first place and playoff push in the final month of the regular season. Regular priced tickets start at just $10. Group discounts are available for parties of ten or more. Come support your hometown team! For more information, please call the Rayz at (361) 814-PUCK.



Central Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2007


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