NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (8-8-1-2) held strong with the Lone Star Brahmas (16-3-1-0) but came up just short in a 2-1 loss on Saturday night at the NYTEX Sports Centre.
The first period picked up the intensity left off from last night’s game with physicality and grittiness, and while there wasn’t any scoring in the frame that carried into the second period. Aggressions boiled over halfway through the game when IceRays forward Christian Stevens and Brahmas forward Austin O’Rourke dropped the gloves in the IceRays zone. A later penalty gave way to the game’s first goal at 15:08, when Brahmas defenseman Blake Evennou ripped a shot from the left side to take a 1-0 lead.
In the third period, the Brahmas found a way to double the lead, 2-0, at 4:05 thanks to a slot shot from forward Justin Addamo by the glove hand on the rebound. The tides began to turn for the IceRays when a power play opportunity helped the team come within one. At 7:38, forward Josh Tripp tucked in a sliding puck on the back door after bring set up by forwards Brendan Miller and David Thomson, moving the scoreline to 2-1. IceRays netminder Camden Burggrabe turned away a 2-on-0 breakaway and then succeeded in wiping away the ensuing penalty shot at 10:47, and despite pulling the goalie for the extra skater, the IceRays couldn’t find the equalizer in the 2-1 loss.
Brahmas goaltender Erik Gordon (9-0-0) earned the win, stopping 20 of 21 shots, and Burggrabe (3-1-1) saw his three-game win streak come to an end in the loss, turning away 29 of 31 shots. The IceRays return to home ice on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:05 p.m. to open a weekend set against the Lone Star Brahmas from the American Bank Center on Stars & Stripes Weekend and continue their four-game stretch. Tickets are available at www.Ticketmaster.com and the American Bank Center Box Office.
Season memberships for the 2016-17 season are still available with full and partial season plans. Reserve yours by contacting the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Snapchat (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).