December 27, 2008

In the final home game of 2008 the Corpus Christi IceRays closed the curtain nicely on Saturday Night at the American Bank Center. Kris Tebbs made 24 saves and the IceRays put together a fine defensive game to beat the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs 2-1. The teams split an ill-tempered home-and-home series and will meet three more times this season.

The IceRays victory snapped a three-game losing streak and upped Corpus Christi’s season record to 11-13-3 on the year, moving within three points of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees who lost on Saturday in Wichita. The IceRays will finish the 2008 portion of their schedule on the road next week before returning to the American Bank Center on Saturday, January 3rd to host the Odessa Jackalopes.

The teams played a scoreless first period with the IceRays outshooting the Mudbugs 9-6. Rookie netminder Ryan Mior made three point blank saves on IceRays chances to keep the game scoreless through the opening stanza.
The IceRays controlled the play in the second period and finally broke through on the board. Curtis Huppe scored his first goal for the Rays in his second game since coming out of retirement to break the scoreless tie at 12:15. Then the IceRays increased their lead to 2-0 when Adam Powell scored his 11th of the season, and fifth on the power play on a wrist shot from the right circle at 16:50. The IceRays outshot the Bugs 13-4 in the period and took a two-goal lead into the final frame.

The Mudbugs made a valiant effort in the third period, outshooting the Rays 15-5, and getting on the board when Joe Blaznek scored in his return to the American Bank Centerat 12:36. But that’s as close as the Mudbugs would get as Tebbs and the IceRays held on for the 2-1 win.

Kris Tebbs (7-6-3) got the win making 24 saves on 25 shots and Ryan Mior (6-6) took the loss making 25 saves on 27 shots. The IceRays power play went 1-6 while the Mudbugs went 0-4 on the man advantage. The IceRays outshot the Bugs 27-25.

The IceRays will finish off the 2008 portion of the season on the road with a Tuesday night visit to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and then a New Year’s Eve trip to face the Texas Brahmas. The IceRays will return to the American Bank Center on Saturday, January 3rd when they face the Odessa Jackalopes.

-Russell Wagner, CC IceRays