Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Wickenheiser steps forward, helps shoot Corpus Christi to 6-3 triumph over Waco

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Monday, October 18, 1999

Wickenheiser steps forward, helps shoot Corpus Christi to 6-3 triumph over Waco

By Mark Button
Caller-Times

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Corpus Christi's Brad Wingfield (left) and Waco's Dave MacIntyre duke it out Sunday in the IceRays' 6-3 victory over the Wizards at Memorial Coliseum.

Kurt Wickenheiser swore he wasn't thinking about the pressure.
   His play in Sunday afternoon's 6-3 Corpus Christi victory over divisional rival Waco suggested otherwise.
   The IceRays lost forward Chris Robertson, the franchise's top player, for a month with a partial torn ligament in his right knee. Robertson scored 42 goals last season and finished with 109 points. For the IceRays to win without their star, someone has to take over while the reigning Western Professional Hockey League's Most Valuable Player rehabilitates his knee.
   For a day at least, that someone was Wickenheiser, who scored two goals to lead the IceRays to their second victory of the new season.
   "Basically, a lot of the goal-scorers have to step up," said Wickenheiser, a 35-year-old prolific scorer both in Europe and the WPHL. "But I honestly wasn't looking to score as much as I was trying to keep the puck out of our end. Like coach says, when you do that, the goals will follow."
   They followed for Wickenheiser, who banged home a forehand with less than five minutes to play in the second period to give Corpus Christi a 4-3 lead it would never relinquish.

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Corpus Christi's Ryan Esselmont (76) finishes a check Sunday in the IceRays' 6-3 victory over the Waco Wizards.

   The goal, assisted by rookie defenseman Ryan Esselmont and Geoff Bumstead, answered quick back-to-back goals by Waco (1-1).
   "I told Ryan to get a quick shot off the face off," Wickenheiser said. "He did, Geoff got the rebound and tapped it over to me. I just pulled it in and snapped it in the net. It was a garbage goal, but I'll take as many of those as I can get."
   Wickenheiser's three goals is an IceRays team-high.
   With the win, Corpus Christi evened its record to 1-1 in division play. All Central Division teams will play each other nine times in the regular season. Corpus Christi is 2-1 overall and has five games remaining on their extended, season-opening home stand. Corpus Christi will host Abilene Wednesday in a 7:05 p.m. game.
   Waco returns to Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 24.
   Bumstead had two assists in the game and Dave Gilmore had a goal and an assist. Rookie Tobin Praznik scored his second professional goal and Alain Savage had a goal and an assist.
   IceRays goalie Jason Genik settled down considerably after his shaky effort in the first period of Wednesday's home opener. Genik blocked 29 of 32 shots to earn his first win of the new season.
   "I was a little nervous tonight after last game," he said. "But want to do so good for these great fans of ours. But sometimes you end up squeezing the sap your stick. I think I was just a little too pumped up for the Austin game. I felt a lot better tonight."
   ICECUBES
   A SHOOTER SCORING: Former IceRays forward Dave Shute is tied for fourth place in the WPHL scoring race. Shute, whom Hall traded to Amarillo for future considerations after Shute refused to take a second pay cut three days before opening night, has recorded two goals and three assists in two games. Shute earned the No. 1 star for his four-point night (2 goals, 2 assists) in a 5-2 Rattlers' victory against Lubbock Friday.
   Corpus Christi does not have a player in top 10 for scoring.
   A POOR COUNTING SKILLS: The IceRays announced Sunday's game as a sellout despite the fact that there were more than 60 empty seats in sections six and seven, another 15 that went unused in section 13; there were at least 30 vacancies the 60-seat riser addition in the northwest corner and numerous other empty seats throughout the coliseum. The pressure to meet last year's record of 35 sellouts seems to be more important to the franchise than an accurate attendance count.
   A SEVENTEEN AND COUNTING: IceRays forward should buy stock in the company that produces stitches. So far this season he has accounted for 17 stitches to opponents' faces. After drilling Waco's Dave MacIntyre about seven times, MacIntyre needed nine stitches to sew his bottom lip back together, according to Waco trainer Stacy Johnson.
   Wingfield's first fight of the year, a brawl with Lake Charles' Joe Middlestat, resulted in Middlestadt taking eight stitches above his left eye.



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

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