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NAHL Corpus Christi IceRays

Rays Report: Playoff Race Tightens Up; Amarillo & Odessa this Weekend

February 28, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


The playoff race in the South Division just got more interesting over the weekend as the IceRays now have a five point lead over fifth place Odessa after the Jackalopes won two games in a row over Corpus Christi. A huge weekend starts this Thursday at home against league leading Amarillo and ends with a pair of games in West Texas against the Jackalopes.

GAME #1 - 02-24-12: Corpus Christi 1-4 Odessa - Out of the five total goals scored in this game, only one was notched even-strength. The Jackalopes took the lead just 8:25 into the game on a shot from the left point was re-directed off the stick of Taylor Portner and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. With only 1:50 left in the first period Odessa went out to a two goal advantage while short-handed. Tyler Cayemberg rushed up the left wing side of the ice around the defense and found a way to beat Anthony Stolarz to take a 2-0 lead. Corpus Christi got on the board in period two thanks to the captain, Frank Misuraca who rifled a shot over the shoulder of Connor Hellebuyck to pull the IceRays within a goal as only 3:22 remained in the second. Odessa then stopped any chance for a comeback with a late period goal on the man advantage when Jalen Krogman jammed a loose puck past Stolarz for a 3-1 lead with only 1:12 left. There was no scoring in the third period until Josh Obregon scored an empty net goal with four seconds remaining.

GAME #2 - 02-25-12: Corpus Christi 4-5 Odessa - Both teams hopped on their busses and drove back across Texas to play a Saturday night series finale in Corpus Christi. This time, it was the IceRays who took a 2-0 lead after the first period. Phil Pietroniro kicked off the scoring as he pinched up and took a pass from Michael Dery beating Hellebuyck low 15:20 into the first frame. Then, just 54 seconds after that, Jonathan Grebosky batted a puck out of mid-air after a Travis Maxwell shot for his fourth goal as an IceRay to push Corpus out to a 2-0 lead. Odessa stormed back in the second period to tie the game on two goals 2:09 apart from each other. The third period was back and forth until Brandon Smith tied the game late in regulation on a wrister from the left wing circle. Then, with only seven seconds left Ryan Doucet scored to give Odessa the win and two points.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST VS. ODESSA

- Buy One, Get One Free - Buy a ticket on Thursday, get one free!

- Charity Night - Local charities will be attending the game!

AROUND THE SOUTH DIVISION :

Team GP W L OTL PTS WPCT GF GA PIM HOME AWAY

xAmarillo 50 38 5 7 83 .830 220 120 1336 18-2-4 20-3-3

xTopeka 50 32 15 3 67 .670 165 129 1046 17-6-1 15-9-2

Texas 50 28 15 7 63 .630 177 141 1025 17-5-4 11-10-3

Corpus Christi 49 22 23 4 48 .490 140 153 1039 16-8-3 6-15-1

Odessa 48 19 24 5 43 .448 117 150 917 12-12-1 7-12-4

Wichita Falls 51 19 27 5 43 .422 131 169 901 13-8-2 6-19-3

New Mexico 52 18 31 3 39 .375 150 222 862 11-13-2 7-18-1

CORPUS CHRISTI'S RECORDS AGAINST THE SOUTH :

AMARILLO : 2-3-0

NEW MEXICO : 5-2-1

TEXAS : 5-2-0

TOPEKA : 0-4-0 (Season Series Over)

WICHITA FALLS : 5-6-1 (Season Series Over)

ODESSA: 3-5-0

ICERAYS LEADERS :

GOALS : Eric Purcell - 17

ASSISTS : Beau Walker - 28

POINTS : Beau Walker - 38

PLUS/MINUS : Chris Taff - +6

PENALTY MINUTES : Ladislav Hruska - 96min

SHOTS : Beau Walker - 155

WINS : Anthony Stolarz - 19

GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE : Anthony Stolarz, 2.57

SAVE PERCENTAGE : Anthony Stolarz, .924

THREE HOME GAMES LEFT... The IceRays only have three home games remaining. After Thursday's home game, the IceRays are out of town for three weeks until returning to the American Bank Center on March 23th and 24th

PLAYOFF TRACKER... The IceRays sit five points in front of the Odessa Jackalopes and Wichita Falls Wildcats.

COMMITMENTS

2011-2012

- Anthony Stolarz - University of Nebraska-Omaha

- Brandon Adams - Holy Cross

- Pheonix Copley - Michigan Tech

- Mychal Monteith - Mercyhurst College

- Colton Saucerman - Northeastern University

ALUMNI REPORT

NCAA D-III...

- Luc Neitenbach (Worcester State) - Luc has one goal and one assist

in 19 games as a Freshman.

- Kevin Crowe (Wentworth College) - Kevin is 5th on the team in points

for Wentworth with ten goals and eleven assists.

- Derrek Shartz (Tufts University) - As a freshman, Derrek has three

goals and two assists in 25 games.

NCAA D-I...

- Michael Benedict (Niagara University) - Michael has two goals and

four assists in 34 games for the Purple Eagles.

USHL...

- Matthew Weis (Green Bay) - in 19 games, Weis has four goals and

six assists.

- Colton Saucerman (Lincoln) - Saucerman has recorded three goals

and eleven assists for Lincoln in 24 games.

- Pheonix Copley (Des-Moines) - After being traded to Des-Moines,

Copley has a GAA of 2.23 and save percentage of .929.

WHAT'S ON TAP... The IceRays are home on Thursday night against the Amarillo Bulls at 7:05PM. On Friday and Saturday night, Corpus Christi heads to Odessa for a pair of games with the Jackalopes. Fans can listen to all the action with the voice of the IceRays, Rob Lippolis, beginning 15 minutes prior to the games on the Rays flagship station, ESPN Radio 1440AM. The game is available for free online at www.espncorpus.com or on the league's pay-per-view website, www.fasthockey.com . Be sure to get your tickets now by calling the IceRays front office at 361.814.PUCK (7825) or crash the net at www.goicerays.com.

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