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Thursday, April 6, 2000
Home-ice advantage now in IceRays' favor
Two wins at Memorial Coliseum would clinch series
By Mark Button
Caller-Times
All the IceRays have to do is win two home games.
Accomplish that, and Corpus Christi will advance to the Western Professional Hockey League semifinals.
After the IceRays split the first two games of their quarterfinal playoff series against the New Mexico Scorpions - the Western Bracket's top-seeded team - Corpus Christi has turned the best-of-5 series into a best-of-3 affair.
Only now, the IceRays have the home-ice advantage.
New Mexico came after Corpus Christi in Game 1 last Saturday, staking leads of 3-1 and 6-3. But a three-goal flurry by the IceRays in the third period forced overtime, where Dustin McArthur scored the game-winner.
The Scorpions responded in Game 2 Monday, routing the IceRays, 6-1.
Though the best record in the WPHL Western Division afforded New Mexico a first-round bye and home-ice advantage through the league semifinals, the Scorpions did not have a true home-ice feel in Games 1 and 2. Because of a scheduling conflict, New Mexico is unable to host home playoff games on it home ice in Albuquerque, N.M.
Instead, the games were moved to the Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe, N.M., a smaller building (maximum capacity is 1,200) with regulation ice.
Now that the series has shifted back to Corpus Christi, the IceRays feel they will benefit from the smaller ice surface at the coliseum.
Like New Mexico, Corpus Christi plays a physical brand of hockey. The style lends itself to a smaller rink, where there is less room to avoid contact.
"It's going to be a much different game than in New Mexico," IceRays coach Taylor Hall said. "(In New Mexico) there was tons of space behind the net. Here, there's hardly any."
Hall contends that his team plays best when the IceRays initiate contact. In Santa Fe, Hall said, it was more difficult because of all the room to roam.
That's not the case here, he said.
"It's our building and we need to go out and play like it is," he said. "I've seen us win two games in a row here before.
"We have to go out and play our game," Hall said. "That's high intensity and being very aggressive."
While Corpus Christi looks to play physically against New Mexico, it must do so with discipline. The Scorpions had 10 power plays in Game 2 and scored on three.
IceRays defenseman Bob Quinnell said the key is to instigate but not retaliate.
"Lots of the time the ref sees something out of the corner of his eye and that's the instigator," Quinnell said. "But he'll turn around and catch the retaliation. (In this series,) we've been retaliating more than instigating and that's not a good thing, especially in the playoffs."
ICECUBES
A SKAZYK FEELS FINE: Hall has not named a starting goalie for today's game, but don't be surprised if he starts Eddy Skazyk, who has started all five IceRays playoff games.
"I'm happy," said Skazyk, who is 2-2 in the postseason (Jason Genik relieved Skazyk in Game 1 of the second round). "I feel comfortable in the net. At the same time, I know Jason would do just as good of a job."
Skazyk's 38-save effort against El Paso in the third and deciding game of the first-round series was the IceRays' first shutout of the year.
A PLAYOFF DOMINANCE: The IceRays lead the league in nearly every offensive statistical category for the playoffs.
Kurt Wickenheiser and Tobin Praznik lead in scoring with nine points each and Wickenheiser's seven goals are three better than Tupelo's Dave Szabo and teammate Andy Ross, who each have four goals. Geoff Bumstead and Praznik are ranked No. 1 and 2 in assists with seven and six, respectively. Wickenheiser has the most power-play goals (four) and Praznik leads in shots with 26.
Staff writer Mark Button can be reached at 886-3613 or by e-mail at buttonm@caller.com
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