Rayz double-up Sundogs 6-3

Published on January 13, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


Matt Turek put the Corpus Christi Rayz on his back and lifted them into the Central Hockey League All-Star Break with a four-game home winning streak. Turek scored the Rayz first hat trick of the year as Corpus Christi beat the Arizona Sundogs 6-3 Saturday Night at the American Bank Center. The Rayz have now won five of their last six home games and upped their record to 17-14-5 for 39 points. The Rayz enter the break in second place in the Southeast Division and Southern Conference. Corpus Christi will return to the American Bank Center on Friday night when they host the Rocky Mountain Rage on Fine Jewelry Outlet Ladies Night, presented by Planet 102.3FM.

Despite dominating the opening period, the Rayz fell behind early when CHL-leading goal scorer Brent Kelly scored from the right circle on the power play at 3:04. The Rayz protested the goal, thinking icing should have been called on the play, however after a conference, the officials allowed the tally. It was Kelly's 24th of the season. The Rayz came back to tie the game when Turek scored on a two on one at 13:41. The Rayz took their first lead in the final seconds of the period. Nick Lindberg took a pass at the top of the crease from Tony Johnson and deflected it past Arizona netminder Kris Mayotte with 6.1 seconds left in the period. The Rayz outshot the Sundogs 20-6 in the period.

In the second period, the Rayz quickly added to their lead. Todd Paul scored 59 seconds into the frame when he picked the high right corner and buried a shot past Mayotte. The Rayz scored their fourth straight later in the frame when Turek got his second in the most unlikely of fashions. While shorthanded, Turek burst into the Sundogs zone on a breakaway and was pulled down from behind by Arizona's Chris Bartolone. Turek was awarded a penalty shot and slowly moved into zone where he beat Mayotte low to his blocker at 11:11, giving the Rayz a 4-1 lead. Arizona answered quickly with a goal 29 seconds later. Cory Stillman beat Ron Vogel on a snap shot from the top of the slot to cut the lead to 4-2 Rayz. The Rayz outshot the Sundogs 13-12 in the period.

The Dogs got back into the game early in the third when Adam Campbell scored on the doorstep 27 seconds into the final period. However, that's as close as Arizona would come. Corpus Christi put the game away with two late goals in the third period. Derrick McIver converted a Jason Baird pass right outside the crease at 6:5 to recapture the Rayz two-goal lead. Turek capped off his three-goal night at 17:34 when he scored his second shorthanded goal into an empty net to seal the win.

The win for the Rayz was their fourth in a row at the American Bank Center and fifth in the last six games at the American Bank Center. Vogel made 24 saves on 27 shots, improving to 11-8-3. The Dogs dropped to 16-15-1. Mayotte made 33 saves on 38 shots and suffered the loss, dropping to 6-9-1. The Rayz outshot the Dogs 39-27. The Rayz went 0-5 on the power play and the Sundogs went 2-7.

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2007


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