Stepan Kuznetsov's Overtime Winner Forces Split in Oklahoma

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Corpus Christi IceRays

Stepan Kuznetsov's Overtime Winner Forces Split in Oklahoma

November 16, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Corpus Christi IceRays News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Corpus Christi IceRays (13-4-1) and Oklahoma Warriors (7-10- 4) went back and forth Saturday night at the Blazer Ice Centre as the IceRays who prevail in overtime 4-3. Stepan Kuznetsov played hero tonight for the IceRays extending his team lead in goals to double digits and game winning goals to four.

Oklahoma drew a penalty in the opening two minutes of the game on a Nikita Konevych tripping minor. Goalie Nikita Volsky was put to the test early and came up with two of his 22 saves on the first man advantage for the Warriors. Oklahoma would receive another power play later in the period but were unable to convert. Volsky and Warriors Goaltender Kyle Jones were both excellent in the first 20 to keep both teams off the board in the first.

It took nearly 32 minutes of game action to get the game's first goal and it was Oklahoma who would strike first in consecutive nights. Kyle Sorenson potted his first goal of the season on a bank shot off the pad of Volsky who was sprawling back to his net. Moments later, the IceRays would go to the power play for the first time in the game entering the night 0 for their last 27 on the man advantage. Lars Petter-Ekholm would end the streak for Corpus Christi by stuffing home a rebound off a Kuznetsov shot to tie the game at one. The tie would not last long, 30 seconds later Paul Weczek for Oklahoma restored the one goal lead. Corpus Christi would get a chance to respond on special teams again when Dominik Kiss took roughing minor. This time it was the Defenseman Matteus Soderbom who sliced to the net and slipped a backend past Jones to bring the game back to level at two.

The IceRays were in search of their first lead of the weekend and they finally got it off a beautiful play and shot by Defenseman Max Ranstrom from the right circle to give his squad a 3-2 lead with less than 14 minutes on the clock. Oklahoma pressed Corpus Christi in the final 10 minutes outshooting the IceRays in the period for the first time in the series.

With less than two minutes to go, Jones was off to the bench for the extra attacker. It would pay off as Sebastian Speck for the Warriors redirected a shot past Volsky to tie the game at three and send the game to overtime.

Overtime saw the IceRays maintain the majority of possession and with tired bodies on the ice for the Warriors, Raymond Perrault slipped behind the net and passed it out in front to Kuznetsov who beat Jones to the far side with a wrist shot to cap off a 4-3 overtime winner.

Kuznetsov's three-point night brought his career point total with the IceRays to 101.

For information, please call 361-814-7825, 814-PUCK.

And for more information on the IceRays throughout the oRseason, visit goicerays.com.

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