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Rayz beat Bucks with amazing 4-3 comeback win

February 14, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


Laredo, TX - On Valentine's Day, the Corpus Christi Rayz gave their fans a game to fall in love with the most improbable of comeback victories over the their biggest rivals, the Laredo Bucks. The Rayz forced overtime with a goal in the final second of the regulation, and then went eight rounds in a shootout to come from behind and beat the Bucks 4-3. Corpus Christi's dramatic win was their third in the last four games. The Rayz won their second game in five nights when trailing 3-1 after two periods. The Rayz became just the fourth team this season the beat the Bucks in the Laredo Entertainment Center. The Rayz will now travel to Rio Grande Valley on Friday and host Austin Saturday night to complete a week against the Southeast Division.

The Bucks came out hard in the first period and grabbed the early lead with a pair of goals to open the game. Chris Grenville fired a shot from the top of the slot that beat Scott Reid low, glove side 2:17 into the frame to give Laredo a 1-0 lead. The Bucks then increased their lead just 1:23 later on the power play. James Hiebert redirected a shot from the blue line past Reid at the 3:40 mark to make the score 2-0 Laredo. Corpus Christi cut into the deficit at 15:42 when Tim Laurila took a shot from the left point that Josh Miskovich got a stick on the shot to switch directions past David Lemanowicz to get the Rayz on the board. Laurila and Shawn Legault assisted on Miskovich's tenth tally of the season to lead all Rayz rookies in goal scoring. The Bucks outshot Corpus Christi 13-3 in the opening frame.

The Bucks recaptured their two-goal lead with the only goal of the second period. Steve Simoes poked in a rebound past Reid at 6:35 of the frame to make the score 3-1 Laredo. Late in the period, the Rayz had an opportunity to get back within one when Randy Murphy snuck behind the Bucks defense for a breakaway on Lemanowicz. However, the puck rolled and Murphy and forced the veteran to shoot into the chest of the Bucks netminder. The Bucks outshot Corpus Christi 8-6 in the period.

In the third period the Rayz forced overtime in the most improbable fashion. Two power play goals forced overtime, including Derrick McIver's tally with no time remaining on the clock. Chris Robertson brought the Rayz to within one with his goal at 13:39 of the second period on a rebound chance from the bottom of the slot. Then, after peppering the Laredo net with chances, Corpus Christi finally broke free in the final second of regulation. With a two-man advantage, and their goaltender pulled, Corpus Christi had a six on three advantage. The Rayz had an offensive zone faceoff with 4.3 seconds left, and worked the puck in deep to score with no time left on the clock. Ryan Carter found Derrick McIver alone at the left side of the crease and McIver buried it as time expired to force overtime.

Corpus Christi and Laredo then traded chances in overtime before the teams went to a shootout. The teams traded one goal each in the first seven chances, before Matt Holmes scored the game winning goal in the eighth and final round of the shootout. Ryan Carter also was successful for the Rayz, and Ladislav Kouba got the lone tally for the Bucks.

The Rayz record improved to 18-27-2 for 38 points. They are nine back from the Amarillo Gorillas for the final spot in the playoffs. Laredo's record moved to 31-12-4 to a division and conference-leading 66 points. Reid made 28 saves and stopped seven of eight shooters in the shootout to earn the win, bumping his record to 12-14-1. Lemanowicz made 27 saves and stopped six of eight in a shootout to take the overtime loss. His record went to 13-3-2. Corpus Christi went 2-5 on the power play and Laredo went 1-3. The shots were even at 31.

The Rayz continue their season long, four-game road trip Friday night with a visit to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. The Rayz will return to the American Bank Center on Saturday, February 18th when they host the Austin Ice Bats on "Guaranteed Fight Night" with the Rayz. For more information, please call the Rayz at (361) 814-PUCK.

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