Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Wickenheiser nets 52nd goal as 'Rays upend Ice Bats, 4-2

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Sunday, March 5, 2000

Wickenheiser nets 52nd goal as 'Rays upend Ice Bats, 4-2

By Mark Button
Caller-Times
For the second time in five days, Corpus Christi gained ground on its target in the Western Professional Hockey League's Central Division.
   Kurt Wickenheiser scored his league-leading 52nd goal to help Corpus Christi get past Austin, 4-2, Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum. The IceRays also beat the Ice Bats last Tuesday, 4-3. Saturday's win was the IceRays' fifth in their last six games.
   After giving up two goals in the first period, IceRays goalie Eddy Skazyk (16-12-5) settled down to stop 34 Austin shots to pick up the win.
   "As soon as we scored our first goal, it was a wake-up call," Skazyk said. "I didn't want to let the team down, especially here at home."
   Corpus Christi (28-22-8, 64 points) is the third place team in the WPHL Central Division and Austin (36-20-4, 74 points) is in second place.
   "If we catch them, it will be a bonus," Skazyk said. "Right now, we're just trying to win every game. Austin's going to their thing, we have to worry about ourselves."
   The Ice Bats played without three of their top forwards: Dan Price, Kelly Smart and Tyler Perry. Price and Smart were called up to the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League and Perry was injured.
   "That's the con to having an affiliation," Austin coach Brent Hughes said. "We don't have a team to draw from and they're taking our best players."
   The Corpus Christi victory did come at a cost, however.
   Two IceRays suffered game-ending injuries in the second period. Forward Layne Roland, who netted a hat trick against Shreveport Thursday, left early in the period with a hand injury and defenseman Mike Vandenberghe a little later with an injured shoulder. Both players' status for Wednesday's game against Alexandria was unknown Saturday.
   Corpus Christi took its first lead of the game, 3-2, just 24 seconds into the second period on Tobin Praznik's 34th goal of the season.
   Wickenheiser added to the IceRays lead with his league-leading 52nd goal. Bob Quinnell picked up his second assist of the period on Wickenheiser's goal, which gave Corpus Christi a 4-2 lead 9:24 into the second period.
   The Ice Bats took two leads in the first period, but the IceRays responded with two equalizing goals. Austin scored less than one minute into its first power play to take a 1-0 lead 2:15 into the game. David Brosseau got the goal, his 40th, assisted by Jim Shepherd and former IceRays forward Roger Lewis.
   Dustin McArthur's 23rd goal tied the game, 1-1, at the 9:47 mark.
   The Ice Bats took their second lead, 2-1, on a Sam Katsuras goal with 6:47 to play in the first period.
   Darryl Olsen scored on a slapshot from the left point to knot the game, 2-2, with 4:54 to play in the first period.
   IceCubes
   A BUMMER PASSES ROBO: With two assists in the IceRays' 6-3 loss at Central Texas, Geoff Bumstead passed former IceRays forward Chris Robertson in the team record book for most assists in a season. Robertson's recorded 67 last season. After Saturday's game, Bumstead now has 70. Bumstead and Robertson were linemates for the IceRays last year.
   Austin 2 0 0 -- 2
   Corpus Christi 2 2 0 -- 4
   FIRST PERIOD -- 1, Austin, David Brosseau (Shepherd, Lewis), 2:15, (pp). 2, Corpus Christi, Dustin McArthur (Johnson, Kholomeyev), 9:47. 3, Austin, Sam Katsuras (O'Brien, Shephard), 13:13. 4, Corpus Christi, Darryl Olsen (Wickenheiser, Bumstead), 15:06. PENALTIES-Moore, Aus (fighting), 1:22; McArthur, CC (roughing, fighting), 1:22; Lidster, Aus (high-sticking), 4:23; Kungle, Aus (holding), 7:09.
   SECOND PERIOD -- 5, Corpus Christi, Tobin Praznik (Quinnell, Wickenheiser), 0:24. 6, Corpus Christi, Kurt Wickenheiser (Praznik, Quinnell), 9:24, (pp). PENALTIES-Doherty, CC (holding), 4:40; Moore, Aus (tripping), 8:34; O'Brien, Aus (boarding), 12:56; Quinnell, CC (roughing), 12:56; Shepherd, Aus (roughing), 13:31; McMullen, Aus (roughing), 13:31; Janicki, CC (goalie inference), 13:31; Kholomeyev, CC (boarding), 15:29; McMullen, Aus (roughing), 15:29; Shiryeav, CC (game misconduct), 15:29; Brosseau, Aus (roughing, slashing), 17:51; Quinnell, CC (roughing), 17:51; Wingfield, CC (roughing), 17:51.
   THIRD PERIOD-no scoring. PENALTIES-Bumstead, CC (slashing), 17:59.
   SHOTS ON GOAL-Austin 11-10-15 36. Corpus Christi 20-12-7 39. GOALIES-Corpus Christi, Eddy Skazyk (16-12-5). Austin, Bryan McMullen (15-6-2). A-announced sellout, 3,510. REFEREE-Ron Morgan.



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

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