Rayz pound Austin 5-2

Published on January 22, 2005 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


It was intense. It was physical. It was fast paced. It was exciting. It was everything a first-place game is supposed to be Friday Night when the Corpus Christi Rayz hosted the Austin Ice Bats at the American Bank Center. Three third period Rayz goals and a season-high 162 penalty minutes highlighted a 5-2 Rayz victory that featured the top two teams in the Southeast Division in a heated match-up for the top spot in the division.

The Rayz and the Ice Bats both entered Friday night's match-up with a 38 points on the season and something to prove. The Rayz were winless in three straight games against Austin, and winless in three straight overall. The Bats had won four in a row including a come from behind overtime game Thursday night in Austin over the Rayz.

The teams traded two goals apiece in the first two periods of play taking a tie game into the third. Two teams that each had eight points versus each other this year, 38 points in total on the season, and had played even most of the year, played an even 40 minutes to start the game. It was just as everyone anticipated.

Then came the third period.

The Rayz busted out of the gate to begin the third with two quick Jason Baird goals. Barid's 20th and 21st goals of the year came 36 seconds and 3:21 into the period. Rayz leading scorer Greg Bullock, who had three assists to move his Southern Conference leading point total to 50, created a turnover in the first minute of the third and tossed the puck to Baird who blasted a slap shot from the left circle past goaltender Peter Brady to give the Rayz a 3-2 lead. Baird scored 2:45 later on a wrap around to put the Rayz up by two. Dave Gilmore added his second goal of the game at the 8:54 mark on the power play to give the Rayz a 5-2 lead that they would carry to the close of the game.

However, the action was far from over. At the 9:59 mark of the third period, all the bad blood that had been brewing between the two teams finally boiled over. After Austin forward, Dallas Anderson hit Rayz defenseman, Mark Jackson from behind, a melee ensued that featured seven players, four different altercations and a total of 134 penalty minutes. Rayz forward Clark Udle immediately went after Anderson after Jackson lay on the ice for a few seconds. Then Kris Knoblauch and Jay Hardwick exchanged blows in the corner. After Jackson made his way back on his skates, he fought with Tom Kotsopoulos. With three fights taking place at the same time, the crowd of over 4,000 at the American Bank Center stood on their feet cheering the action. After Kotsopoulos and Jackson stopped fighting, he and Derrick McIver engaged in a fight on the way to the penalty box. All participants with the exception of Udle were ejected from the game and peace was restored for the final ten minutes of the game.

The uplifting win moved the Rayz into sole possession of first place and improved their record to 18-13-4. The Rayz now lead the Bats by two points and the Laredo Bucks by four points. The Rayz outshot the Bats 39-26, and moved to 1-0-1 on the weekend. The Rayz went 2 for 7 on the power play and the Ice Bats went 0 for 5.

The Rayz will remain at home tomorrow night when they host the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. Join the Rayz for "A Night with the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce" presented by Amigo and Tejas Broadcasting. Come celebrate the Latin flavor of the Coastal Bend with your Corpus Christi Rayz. Entertainment at the game will be headlined by favorite South Texas band, The Frijoles Romanticos. Tickets for the game begin at just $10(plus a $1.50 facility fee). There will be Mariachi bands, Latin singers and Mexican Dancers as the Rayz welcome Corpus Christi's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Rayz will take on their rivals the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. The Rayz are 6-0-2 against the Bees this year, and will look to stay undefeated as they play their final game of the weekend. Come support the Rayz before they head on the road for four of their next five games. Tickets are available at the American Bank Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. For more information, contact the Rayz at (361)814-PUCK.

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 22, 2005


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