Corpus Christi, TX (March 31, 2023) – The Corpus Christi IceRays were defeated by the Amarillo Wranglers 4-0 at the American Bank Center on Friday, March 31th, 2023.
Game Action
It was a lively atmosphere inside the American Bank Center on “Pack the House Night” from the opening puck drop. The pace was fast, physical, and fairly even among both teams throughout the first frame. The Wranglers were able to capitalize on an IceRays turnover late in the period when forward Zack Kent beat IceRays goaltender Lukas Malant blocker side on a breakaway for his sixth of the year at the 16:22 mark. Shortly thereafter, the home crowd erupted when Stepan Kuznetsov dropped the gloves with Wranglers forward Blake Farrell in a spirited bout.
The second period started off with another spark, as IceRays forward Michael Mumm and Wranglers forward Divyne Apollon dropped the gloves at center ice. The IceRays ran into some penalty trouble and the Wranglers were able to capitalize on two power play opportunities. Ben Ivey scored about halfway through the period to make it 2-0, on a near identical goal to his power play strike in yesterday’s game, and then Pierce Patterson sent a dart past the glove side of Malant at the tail end of the second period to make it a 3-0 Wranglers lead.
Tempers seemed to settle down in what was a fairly calm and smooth third period. The Wranglers would add one more tally which came off the stick of Jack McDonald at the 16:56 mark to give the Wranglers a 4-0 lead.
The IceRays unfortunately weren’t able to generate as many chances as they would have liked around the Amarillo crease, totaling 23 shots over 60 minutes. They were scoreless on three power play opportunities. The Wranglers were 2-for-6 on the man advantage tonight. Lukas Malant made 28 saves in the loss while Connor McDonough turned aside all 23 shots he faced.
IceRays Next Game
The IceRays next game is Friday, April 7th against the Shreveport Mudbugs at George’s Pond Hirsch Coliseum. Puck drop is at 7:11 PM CST.
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