Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Penalty killers fall one short in 'Rays loss

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Wednesday, November 3, 1999

Penalty killers fall one short in 'Rays loss
Lapse yields game winning goal for New Mexico, 4-2
By Mark Button
Caller-Times

Corpus Christi killed seven of eight New Mexico power plays Tuesday, but the one that got away was the one that decided the game.
   The Scorpions defeated the IceRays, 4-2, behind a third-period, power-play goal by Peter Ambroziak with 11:40 to play in a Western Professional Hockey League game at Memorial Colsieum.
   Corpus Christi entered the contest with the 11th-ranked penalty-killing unit, terminating the opposition's man advantage 80 percent of the time. The IceRays performed even better than that Tuesday, but after veteran defenseman Jody Praznik was called for holding at 8:53 of the third, it set the stage for Ambroziak's game-winner. From there, Scorpions goalie Luciano Caravaggio shut the door with five timely third-period saves and Joe Ferras added an empty-net goal in the final minute.
   Corpus Christi fell to 6-3-1 with the loss. New Mexico improved to 6-1-1. IceRays forward Alain Savage scored his seventh goal and goalie Eddy Skazyk blocked 36 shots in the loss.
   Corpus Christi took a 1-0 lead 11 seconds into its first power-play opportunity. After a holding call on New Mexico's Mike Johnson, IceRays rookie forward Dave Gilmore found Savage wide open in the slot for a one-timer that beat Caravaggio (4-1-1). It was the IceRays' 10th power-play goal in 48 chances. New Mexico answered with back-to-back, even-strength egoals to take a 2-1 lead at 12:52 of the first period. Ferras scored first for the Scorpions, followed by a Todd Marcellus goal 1:26 later. Skazyk made sliding saves putting him out of position for rebound shots on both goals. Tobin Praznik then knotted the game, 2-2, with 3:30 left in the first period. Praznik followed his own shot for a rebound goal, his sixth.
   IceCubes
   BOUCHER MISSES PLAYING: Former IceRays forward Tyler Boucher, now with New Mexico, served the eighth game of his 15-game suspension Tuesday.
   Sitting out has not been easy for the firey Boucher.
   "It's painful to sit and watch," said Boucher, who earned the suspension for butt-ending Lake Charles defenseman David Barozzino in the forehead during the 1998-99 playoffs.
   "I regretted doing it the instance it happened," Boucher said. "I'm just glad he wasn't hurt. I've talked to him since then and everything is fine between us."
   Boucher, who asked to be traded to New Mexico last summer, said he was happy to be closer to his family in Albuquerque, N.M., but he missed Corpus Christi as well.
   "I really miss playing in this rink," he said.
   IT'S BACK: After a one-game hiatus, the controversial goalie-taunting chant returned to the east end of Memorial Coliseum during the third period Tuesday.
   IceRays forward Geoff Bumstead asked the fans to refrain from using the chant and its offensive langauge on Oct. 29, prior to the IceRays' game with Central Texas. The fans complied and did not chant during the Central Texas game.
   As Tuesday's game got deeper into the third period the chant grew louder.
   CURRIE AN ICE BAT: Brent Currie, who was released by the IceRays last week, signed with Austin Monday. Currie played five games for Corpus Christi and scored a goal in his first game, a 3-2 IceRays victory against Arkansas on Oct. 15.
   After a scoreless second period, New Mexico took a 3-2 lead on a Peter Ambroziak power-play goal 9:20 into the third period. Corpus Christi had killed all five previous Scorpions power plays prior to Ambroziak's goal.

   New Mexico 2 0 2-4
   Corpus Christi 2 0 0-2
   FIRST PERIOD - 1, Corpus Christi, Alain Savage (Gilmore, Wingfield), 7:06, (pp). 2, Fort Worth, Joe Ferras (Johnson), 11:26. 3, New Mexico, Todd Marcellus (Mancini), 12:52. 4, Corpus Christi, Tobin Praznik (Bumstead, Tomlinson), 16:30. PENALTIES - Nicolson, CC (hooking), 1:53; Johnson, NM (holding), 6:55; Forbes, NM (fighting, 10-min. misconduct); Holliday, CC (fighting, 10-min. misconduct).
   SECOND PERIOD - no scoring. PENALTIES - Bumstead, CC (holding), 2:24; Esselmont, CC (holding), 6:05; Wingfield, CC (charging), 6:05; Bertrand, NM (roughing), 6:05; MacEachern, CC (hooking), 10:05; Glover, NM (slashing), 17:54.
   THIRD PERIOD - 5, New Mexico, Peter Ambroziak (Ferras, Felix), 9:20, (pp). 6, New Mexico, Ferras (unassisted), 19:52. PENALTIES - Wingfield, CC (slashing), 2:55; Forbes, NM (high-sticking), 5:46; Holliday, CC (roughing), 5:46; J. Praznik, CC (holding), 8:53; MacEachern, CC (cross-checking), 9:20; CC bench, 19:51.
   SHOTS ON GOAL - New Mexico 10-16-14 40. Corpus Christi 12-5-5 22. GOALIES - New Mexico, Luciano Caravaggio (4-1-1). Corpus Christi, Eddy Skazyk (4-1-1). A - announced sellout, 3,510.

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