Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - IceRays penalty-killers get the job done against Austin

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Wednesday, March 1, 2000

IceRays penalty-killers get the job done against Austin
Corpus Christi stops Austin, 4-3, behind Roland's pair of goals
By Mark Button
Caller-Times

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Corpus Christi defenseman Aleksandr Troitsky battles Austin forward Sam Katsuras for control of the puck during the IceRays' 4-3 victory Tuesday.

The Corpus Christi IceRays have the 15th-ranked penalty-killing unit in the 16-team Western Professional Hockey League, but it sure didn't look that way Tuesday night.
   Corpus Christi killed all six Austin power plays, including a two-minute, five-on-three Ice Bats advantage midway through the third period and beat Austin, 4-3, with a Layne Roland goal in the final minute.
   Roland scored twice in the game, the second of which came with just 32 seconds to play.
   With their third straight victory, the IceRays improved to 26-21-8 (60 points). Corpus Christi remained in third place in the WPHL's Central Division.
   Austin fell to 34-19-4 (72 points). The Ice Bats are in second place in the Central Division and lead the season series against Corpus Christi, 8-3.
   After a scoreless first period, IceRays took a 2-0 lead in the second period before surrendering a pair of goals back to Austin.
   The scoring began when Roland stuffed the puck past Austin goalie Rob Laurie on a four-on-four situation to give Corpus Christi a 1-0 lead 1:40 into the second period.
   The IceRays then added to their lead at the 6:20 mark of the second period when Cory Johnson found Dustin McArthur with a nifty drop-pass on a two-on-one partial breakaway. McArthur took the pass and scored on a wrist shot to give Corpus Christi a 2-0 lead.
   IceRays defenseman Trevor Janicki recorded assists on the first two Corpus Christi goals. Austin cut into the lead with 7:49 to play in the second period. Ryan Brindley scored on a backhander to slice Corpus Christi's lead to 2-1.
   The Ice Bats scored the equalizer with 19 seconds to play in the second period. Kelly Smart got credit for the goal, which was initially ruled a non-goal by the linesman before referee Peter Friesema overruled the lineman.
   Austin took a brief 3-2 lead 32 seconds into the third period on a unassisted goal by David Brosseau.
   Corpus Christi answered with an Alex Kholomeyev goal to tie the game, 3-3, just 38 seconds later.
   IceCubes
   A PISIAK WAIVED: The IceRays waived forward Ryan Pisiak Monday after claiming his rights on Feb. 23. Pisiak played most of the year for Austin, which waived him on Feb. 19.
   A RECORD BREAKER: With two assists Sunday, Bob Quinnell ran his IceRays career-point total to 80 points, breaking his record for most career points by an IceRays defenseman (78). Quinnell has 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 34 games this season. His average of 1.26 points a game is second only to the WPHL leader for scoring defenseman, Lubbock's Arturs Kupak, who averages 1.30 points a game with 69 points in 53 games. Quinnell, who spent the first part of this season with the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League, is also three points shy of breaking his club record for points in a season by an IceRays defenseman.
   A SIGN HIM UP: After 16 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Hull Maintenance Technician Petty Officer, First Class Bryan Shaw, 38, re-enlisted for two more years during the first intermission of Tuesday's game.
   "When you re-enlist, you always have to find something no one else has done and something you will always remember," said Shaw, who, along with his wife, Renee, have been a IceRays season-ticket holder since the start of last year.
   Austin 0 2 1 - 3
   Corpus Christi 0 2 2 - 4

   FIRST PERIOD - no scoring. PENALTIES - Smart, Aus (elbowing), 2:19; Roland, CC (hooking), 6:17; Bumstead, CC (roughing), 14:01; Price, Aus (slashing), 19:50; Bumstead, CC (high-sticking dbl. minor), 20:00. SECOND PERIOD - 1, Corpus Christi, Layne Roland (Vandenberghe, Janicki), 1:40. 2, Corpus Christi, Dustin McArthur (Johnson, Janicki), 6:20. 3, Austin, Ryan Brindley (Shepherd, Smart), 12:11. 4, Austin, Kelly Smart (Greenlaw), 19:41. PENALTIES - Laurie, Aus (high-sticking), 3:34; Hoiness, CC (fighting), 12:22; Kasturas, Aus (fighting), 12:22; Olsen, CC (high-sticking), 16:35. THIRD PERIOD - 5, Austin, David Brosseau (unassisted), 0:32. 6, Corpus Christi, Alex Kholomeyev (Wingfield, Janicki), 1:10. 7, Corpus Christi, Roland (McArthur, Quinnell), 19:28. PENALTIES - Wingfield, CC (cross-checking), 3:50; Nicolson, Aus (unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:50; Brindley, Aus (holding, 10-min. misconduct), 5:10; T. Praznik (boarding), 8:02; Kholomeyev, CC (checking from behind, game misconduct), 8:12; Greenlaw, Aus (roughing), 8:12; Janicki, CC (hooking), 10:52; Kungle, Aus (obstruction hooking), 14:04. SHOTS ON GOAL - Austin 11-13-9 33. Corpus Christi 9-8-9 26. GOALIES - Corpus Christi, Eddy Skazyk (14-11-5) Austin, Rob Laurie (21-12-1) A - announced sellout, 3,510. REFEREE - Peter Friesema.


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

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