WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS – The Corpus Christi IceRays (26-15-3-4) extended their point streak to 12 games but fell 3-2 in the fifth round of a shootout loss to the Wichita Falls Wildcats (28-16-3-2) on Thursday night from the Kay Yeager Coliseum.
The first period began as a slow moving frame with both teams adjusting to the ice sheet, but the first scoresheet addition was a fight between IceRays defenseman Tucker White and Wildcats forward Kevin Fees. The Wildcats soon struck first at 7:01 when defenseman Jonathan Waring took a shot from the right point and pinballed by the netminder to jump out to a 1-0 lead. The IceRays found their answer at 10:53 when forward Brad Power’s shot from the high slot bounced through the legs of the Wildcats goaltender to tie the game, 1-1. The home side scored again to regain the lead, 2-1, at 15:06 off a faceoff draw thanks to a tap-in by forward Matt Hanewall.
After a scoreless second period, the IceRays found the game-tying goal they were looking for on the penalty kill. At 12:09, IceRays defenseman ladled a puck into the neutral zone, and after a footrace to the puck in the offensive end, IceRays forward Brendan Miller took the puck from a sprawling netminder and slid it into the open net for his first shorthanded goal of the season and tied the game, 2-2. That goal sent the game into overtime and then a shootout. After both teams went scoreless through four rounds, Wildcats forward Jeff Skinner scored the game-winner in the fifth round to take the 3-2 win over the IceRays.
Wildcats goaltender Evan Moyse (14-8-3) earned the win, halting 41 of 43 shots, while IceRays netminder Tomáš Vomáčka (15-11-4) was saddled with the shootout loss, stopping 31 of 34 shots. The IceRays continue their three-game set against the Wildcats on Friday, Mar. 10 at 7:05 p.m. from the Kay Yeager Coliseum. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on SportsRadio Corpus Christi (KSIX 1230AM) & Hockey TV.
The IceRays return to the American Bank Center on Wednesday, Mar. 15 for a single-game meeting with the Shreveport Mudbugs. Join the IceRays in their push for the 2017 Robertson Cup Playoffs and pick up seats for the final games of the 2016-17 season by calling 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).