Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Streaking 'Rays down Aviators, 3-1

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Thursday, October 21, 1999

Streaking 'Rays down Aviators, 3-1
Central-leading Corpus Christi reversing Game 1 fortunes
By Mark Button
Caller-Times

So much can change in a single week of minor-league hockey.
   Eight mornings ago, the IceRays woke up in a daze of confusion and frustration, having been embarrassed with a six-goal loss to Austin in their season opener. They also woke up knowing it would be a while before their best player, forward Chris Robertson, would play again because of a partially torn ligament in his right knee during the beating.
   Things did not look so good.
   Fast-forward seven nights, and the IceRays are streaking. They won their third straight game Wednesday, a 3-1 victory over winless Abilene.
   So when the Corpus Christi players and coach woke up today, eight days after the opening night massacre, they found themselves in first place in the Western Professional Hockey League's Central Division with six points and a 3-1 record. The IceRays will try for a fourth straight win Saturday, when they host Lake Charles in a 7:05 p.m. game at Memorial Coliseum.
   "It's a 70-game season," said IceRays forward Geoff Bumstead, who scored the game-winner in the third period. "The main objective is not to get too high or too low. It's a lot better to wake up knowing you're in first place, but a lot can happen in the next week, too. So we can't get too cocky with this one."
   Corpus Christi buried Abilene (0-4) behind two power-play goals, solid defensive play and outstanding goaltending.
   First-year IceRays forward Alain Savage scored his second goal of the year, giving him a team-high five points. Bumstead got his game-winner 1:52 into the third period for his first of the year and Brad Wingfield scored his first goal as well. Veteran defenseman Jody Praznik chipped in with his fourth and fifth assists of the year.
   Rookie goalie Eddy Skayzk played the part of a backstop, denying shots from every angle on his way to his second victory. Skayzk (2-0) stopped 31 of 32 Abilene shots, many from his seat.
   "The puck seemed big out there," Skayzk said.
   Both Skayzk and Abilene goalie Pat Mazzoli stood tall in the first period, stopping 28 shots between them. Corpus Christi killed Abilene's two power plays in the first 20 minutes, including a five-on-three Aviators' advantage that lasted one minute, 19 seconds.
   Six seconds into the IceRays' first power play, Wingfield scored the game's first goal with his back to the net 3:19 into the second period. Holding ground about 10 feet from the Abilene goal, Wingfield re-directed a Jody Praznik blast from the right point into the Aviators' goal. Rookie defenseman Ryan Esselmont recorded his third assist of the season on the Wingfield goal.
   Abilene answered late in the second, tying the game, 1-1, on a Carl Menard goal, just the Aviators' second even-strength goal of the year.
   Corpus Christi jumped back ahead, 2-1, in the opening minutes of the third period when Bumstead scored on a low-lining, half slapshot directly after IceRays center Mike Tomlinson won a faceoff in the right circle in the Abilene zone.
   Tomlinson has recorded at least one point in each of the IceRays' three victories.
   With the lead in hand, Corpus Christi clamped down on defense and allowed just four Abilene shots on goal in the final 20 minutes.
   "Eddy played well; the whole team played well," Corpus Christi forward Kurt Wickenheiser said. "We played well defensively, and that's what coach wants us to do. If we can hold teams to three goals or less, we have a chance at winning. When we hold a team to one goal, we should win every time."
   Savage added his goal, a rebound goal on the power play, 7:35 into the final period.
   IceCubes

EVEN WEAKNESS: It's bad enough that Abilene has scored just six goals this season while giving up 17. Add to that the fact that the Aviators have scored just two even-strength goals and it's easier to see why the team is 0-4.

SHOOTER LEADS LEAGUE: Three games into the season, former IceRays forward Dave Shute is tied for the league lead in scoring with seven points. Shute has scorched the nets for Amarillo (2-1), recording three goals and four assists. A fixture on the Rattlers' No. 1 line, Shute recorded his second multi-point night with a goal and an assist in Amarillo's 5-1 victory over Odessa Tuesday.

FIVE MILLION AND COUNTING: The WPHL surpassed five million fans in total attendance on Oct. 14, in a game between El Paso and New Mexico. It took 1,298 games to surpass the five-million fan mark. Six year old Sergio Banda of El Paso represented the five millionth fan and was presented a WPHL jersey, numbered "5M" to honor the milestone.

QUICK START: Corpus Christi is one of only four teams that has played at least four games this season. The IceRays' 3-1 record is tops for the category. San Angelo is 2-2; Odessa is 1-4 and the Aviators are 0-4.
   With their six points, the IceRays are the only WPHL with more four points for the season.
   Abilene 0 1 0 - 1
   Corpus Christi 0 1 2 - 3
   FIRST PERIOD - no scoring. PENALTIES - Savage, CC (fighting), 1:40; Slota, Abl (fighting), 1:40; Esselmont, CC (obstruction holding), 17:39; Pilon, CC (cross-checking), 18:20.
   SECOND PERIOD - 1, Corpus Christi, Brad Wingfield (J. Praznik, Esselmont), 3:19, (pp). 2, Abilene, Carl Menard (Therrien), 14:53. PENALTIES - Friesen, Abl (roughing), 3:13; Kersey, CC (roughing), 3:27; Therrien, Abl (roughing), 3:27; J. Praznik, CC (puck grabbing), 5:39; Kersey, CC (roughing), 9:30; Tomlinson, CC (fighting), 12:35; Doyle, Abl (fighting), 12:35; Bumstead, CC (roughing), 15:58; Archambault, Abl (obstruction hooking), 16:39.
   THIRD PERIOD - 3, Corpus Christi, Geoff Bumstead (Tomlinson), 1:52. 4, Corpus Christi, Alain Savage (J. Praznik, Gilmore), 7:35, (pp). PENALTIES - D. Archambault, Abl (tripping), 2:24; Doyle, Abl (stick holding), 6:41.
   SHOTS ON GOAL - Abilene 14-14-4 32. Corpus Christi 14-18-17 49. GOALIES - Abilene, Pat Mazzoli (0-4). Corpus Christi, Eddy Skayzk (2-0). A - announced sellout, 3,510. REFEREE - Scott Hughes.


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

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