Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Rattlers hand Icerays six straight loss

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Sunday, November 21, 1999

Rattlers hand Icerays six straight loss

By Mark Button
Caller-Times

AMARILLO - Six and counting.
   The Corpus Christi IceRays lost again Saturday, as the Amarillo Rattlers held off a late charge to defeat the IceRays, 6-5, in a Western Professional Hockey League game at the Amarillo Civic Center.
   The loss was the IceRays' sixth straight; they are 0-4-2 during the streak.
   Amarillo led 6-3 with 2:25 to play when Dion Hagen scored an empty-net goal after IceRays coach Taylor Hall pulled goalie Eddy Skazyk (5-3-2) with 3:38 to play. Corpus Christi (8-7-3) answered with two goals in the final two minutes but could not net the equalizer.
   Amarillo improved to 8-4 and two former IceRays forwards - Dave Shute and Jade Kersey - contributed to the Rattlers' victory. Kersey had two assists for Amarillo; Shute had one.
   Corpus Christi forward Kurt Wickenheiser scored two goals to give him 12 for the year and Geoff Bumstead recorded his 26th point with a goal in the second period.
   Playing shorthanded, the IceRays went 0-2 on the weekend's road trip. Four key players missed Friday night's loss to Fort Worth and Saturday's loss because of injuries: forward Chris Robertson is still nursing a knee injury, forward Mike Tomlinson is still woozy after suffering a concussion against Lubbock on Nov. 11, forward Brent Hoiness has back spasms and defenseman Greg MacEachern missed the trip because the flu.
   After a scoreless first period, Amarillo scored back-to-back goals to take a brief 2-0 lead with 9:27 to play in the second period. Tom Gomez scored the first goal on an assist by Shute and 12 seconds later, Gomez set up Trevor Janicki for the second goal.
   Corpus Christi struck back quickly, scoring two goals while playing four-on-four hockey. Wickenheiser scored first, assisted by Bumstead and Jody Praznik, and Bumstead scored 15 seconds later, assisted by Wickenheiser and Praznik.
   The tie didn't last long.
   The Rattlers beat Skazyk twice more to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission. Kelly Van Hilgen and Brad Haelzle scored the goals.
   It's always a bleak situation for the IceRays when they trail after two period. Prior to Saturday, Corpus Christi was 0-5-3 when its opponent led at the second intermission.
   The IceRays kept the trend intact, giving up second goal to Haelzle and an empty-netter to Hagen before rallying late for two goals.
   SCORING SUMMARY
   Corpus Christi 0 2 3 - 5
   Amarillo 0 4 2 - 6
   FIRST PERIOD - none.
   SECOND PERIOD - 1, Amarillo, Tom Gomez (Shute), 10:25. 2, Amarillo, Trevor Janicki (Gomez), 10:37. 3, Corpus Christi, Kurt Wickenheiser (J. Praznik, Bumstead), 12:04. 4, Corpus Christi, Geoff Bumstead (Wickenheiser, J. Praznik), 12:19. 5, Kelly Van Hilgen (unassisted), 14:55. 6, Amarillo, Brad Haelzle (Kersey, Hagen), 17:10.
   THIRD PERIOD - 7, Amarillo, Haelzle (Kersey), 8:35. 8, Corpus Christi, Alain Savage (unassisted), 9:07. 9, Amarillo, Dion Hagen (unassisted), 17:35. 10, Corpus Christi, Kurt Wickenheiser (unassisted), 18:26. 11, Corpus Christi, Tobin Praznik (Lewis, J. Praznik) 19:04.
   SHOTS ON GOAL - Corpus Christi 15-11-17 43. Amarillo 11-15-11 37. GOALIES - Corpus Christi, Eddy Skazyk (5-4-1). Amarillo, Trevor Amundrudy (6-6).

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