Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Corpus Christi back on track with a 5-3 win over Ice Pirates

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Saturday, December 2, 2000

Corpus Christi back on track with a 5-3 win over Ice Pirates
Newly-acquired Cheesman scores game winner for IceRays
By Richard Tijerina
Caller-Times Sports Editor
With a six-point, three-game weekend staring them in the face, the Corpus Christi IceRays turned to a player with just hours of experience who didn't even have a name on his jersey.
   Jeff Cheeseman, signed Friday by the IceRays, scored what turned out to be the game winning goal in the third period and the IceRays cruised past Lake Charles, 5-3.
   "He was just what the doctor ordered," IceRays coach Taylor Hall said. "He's bounced around a little bit, but he looked like he'd been palying all season long. He's going to be a good addition to this team."
   Cheeseman, wearing No. 41 but without a name on his back, came to the IceRays after the team suspended forwards Dustin McArthur and Kevin Solari for 30 days each for violating team rules. He was with Corpus Christi during the preseason, but was released. He was picked up by Monroe for some time before being released again.
   Friday night, however, he - just like the rest of the IceRays - was on a roll.
   Trailing 1-0 in the second period, the IceRays turned the game around by dominating the second - without their leading scorer. Kurt Wickenheiser, after tying the game with his 14th goal of the season, was ejected 10:48 left.
   That only turned the game around. For the IceRays.
   Corpus Christi went on to out-shoot Lake Charles 16-4 in the period, and former IceRay Chris Robertson - who entered the game on a seven-game scoring streak - was frustrated throughout the night. With Quentin Van Horlick applying most of the defensive pressure, Robertson went scoreless and took the brunt of numerous rough checks into the boards.
   Van Horlick, Brad Wingfield and Geoff Bumstead added goals for the IceRays.
   With their leading scorer gone, the IceRays got it done in different ways. Goal keeper Jason Carey shined - stopping 21 shots - and a disciplined Corpus Christi attack led by Matt Sharuga (two assists) and Jeff Paluseo (two assists) gave the team a welcome lift heading into a tough weekend.
   The IceRays (11-12-1) left at approximately midnight for back-to-back road games at Fort Worth (today) and Bossier-Shreveport (Sunday).
   The win boosted Corpus Christi past Lake Charles in the WPHL standings. The IceRays entered the game having lost four of their past five, including a 4-3 loss at home to Central Texas on Wednesday. The Ice Pirates, meanwhile, were surging; Lake Charles had won seven of its last 10.
   Now, with consecutive games, the IceRays have a chance to make up ground. They can score as many as six points this weekend, and took care of two on Friday.
   "We've got to take three. Anything else, we can't be happy with," Paluseo said. "We've got to get ourselves back in the playoff race. We've got to take two more."



Sports Editor Richard Tijerina can be reached at 886-3745 or by e-mail at tijerinar@caller.com

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