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Saturday, December 11, 1999

Stampede ends coliseum jinx

Central Texas records team's first victory in Corpus Christi, 5-4

By Mark Button
Caller-Times
 

Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times

Central Texas' Chris Fawcett (19) upends Corpus Christi's Geoff Bumstead during the Stampede's victory Friday night.

   The spell has been broken.
   After all seven prior attempts proved unsuccessful, the Central Texas Stampede finally won a hockey game inside Memorial Coliseum. Right wing Gerald Tallaire scored two goals, including the game-winner with 2:21 to play in the game to give Central Texas a 5-4 victory against Corpus Christi in a Western Professional Hockey League Central Division clash at the coliseum Friday night. It was the first road win for the Stampede against Corpus Christi in franchise history.
   The Central Division leading Stampede improved to 20-7-1, giving the team 40 points. Corpus Christi, 4-2 against Central Texas this season, fell to 11-10-4. The IceRays' 26 points keep them in fourth place in the Central Division.
   Corpus Christi coach Taylor Hall chose to go with goalie Jason Genik against Central Texas Friday even though his other goalie, Eddy Skazyk, was 4-0 against the Stampede this season. Genik (4-6-2) fell to 0-2 against Central Texas.
   Corpus Christi was a model of offensive efficiency in the first period, scoring the game's only goal of the period on five shots. IceRays forward Todd Norman got the power-play goal 10:03 into the game, assisted by Jody Praznik and Bob Quinnell, to give the IceRays a 1-0 lead.
   Central Texas forced Corpus Christi into a defensive shell for the rest of the first period. While Stampede players buzzed in and around Genik, firing off 20 shots, the IceRays did not register another shot on goal after Norman's goal.
   Central Texas struck back with three straight goals by Ron Newhook, Eric Preston and Mike Dick to take a 3-1 lead 5:42 into the second period.
   Corpus Christi defenseman Ryan Esselmont scored 38 seconds later, followed by a Tobin Praznik goal that tied the game, 3-3, with 10:26 to play in the second period.
   A Genik penalty for cross-checking led to a Central Texas power-play goal by Tallaire that gave the Stampede a 4-3 lead after two periods.
   IceRays second-year rookie Brent Hoiness tied the game, 4-4, with 7:54 to play on a tough-angle shot from the left corner that beat Carey.
   Tallaire then ended the Central Texas drought in Corpus Christi, with a rebound goal 17:48 into the final period. Hall pulled Genik for the final two minutes, but the IceRays could not convert.

IceCubes
ROBO A GO FOR SUNDAY: Chris Robertson said he will play in Sunday's IceRays game at Waco. The 6-foot, 190-pound center said his right knee is at about 90-percent strength. Robertson, the WPHL's Most Valuable Player last season, partially tore the medial collateral tendon in the knee during Corpus Christi's season-opening game against Austin on Oct. 13.
WINGFIELD SERVES SECOND: Missing from the IceRays lineup Friday was forward Brad Wingfield, who served the second game of a two-game suspension for a head-butting incident with Austin's Ryan Pisiak on Dec. 4. The WPHL originally suspended Wingfield for one game, but tacked on a game after reviewing video of the incident.

Corpus Christi 1,2,1--4
Central Texas 0,4,1--5

FIRST PERIOD -- 1, Corpus Christi, Todd Norman (J. Praznik, Quinnell), 10:03, (pp). Penalties -- Mailhot, CC (cross-checking), 0:28; Murphy, CT (tripping), 1:46; B. Preston, CT (slashing), 8:32; Murphy, CT (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:06; Wickenheiser, CC (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:06; Lewis, CC (cross-checking), 10:55.

SECOND PERIOD -- 2, Central Texas, Ron Newhook (Tallaire), 0:19. 3, Central Texas, Eric Preston (Fawcett, Baber), 4:35. 4, Central Texas, Mike Dick (Fawcett, E. Preston), 5:14. 5, Corpus Christi, Ryan Esselmont (Wickenheiser), 5:52. 6, Corpus Christi, Tobin Praznik (Hoiness, Norman), 9:44. 7, Central Texas, Gerald Tallaire (Zurba, Newhook), 18:11, (pp). Penalties -- Zurba, CT (slashing), 1:37; Genik, CC (elbowing), 1:37; Murphy, CT (roughing), 11:23; Hoiness, CC (hooking), 11:23; Johnston, CT (cross-checking), 13:21; Norman, CC (obstruction tripping), 13:52; Genik, CC (cross-checking), 16:39.

THIRD PERIOD -- 8, Corpus Christi, Brent Hoiness (Norman), 12:06. 9, Central Texas, Tallaire (Zurba, Murphy), 17:48. Penalties -- Tallaire, CT (stick holding), 0:39; J. Praznik, CC (holding), 1:29; Zurba, CT (unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:31; Murphy, CT (slashing), 5:17; Dunn, CC (slashing), 5:17.

Shots on goal -- Central Texas 20-15-9 44. Corpus Christi 5-9-9 23. Goalies -- Central Texas, Jason Carey (8-4), re-entered at 16:59 of 2nd; Matt Barnes (12-3-1), 16:39 of 2nd. Corpus Christi, Jason Genik (4-6-2). Referee -- Peter Friesma. A -- unannounced.
  
  

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Staff writer Mark Button can be reached at 886-3613 or by e-mail at button@caller.com

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