Local Sports
| News | Sports | Business | Opinions | Columns | Entertainment |
| Science/Technology| Weather | Archives | E-mail Us |

Thursday, March 9, 2000

IceRays hammer 'Hogs

Praznik's score highlights 5-3 win

By Mark Button

Caller-Times

Praznik

Speed, patience and touch.
   Late in the second period of Corpus Christi's 5-3 victory against Alexandria Wednesday, IceRays rookie forward Tobin Praznik gave the fans in attendance a glimpse of what hockey looks like in the National Hockey League on a nightly basis.
   During an IceRays penalty kill, Praznik's flew coast-to-coast on the right wing and tracked down a loose puck after teammate Kurt Wickenheiser poked it free from a Warthogs forward.
   Once he passed center ice, all that stood between Praznik and his third short-handed goal of the year was Alexandria goalie Sean Basilio. As he approached Basilio, Praznik held the puck on his forehand, head up, and waited.
   And waited. Praznik's patience paid off, as Basilio committed first, dropping to his knees looking for a low shot.
   "I wanted to shoot it right away," Praznik said, "but (Basilio) closed the angle."
   When Praznik finally let loose the shot, his skates were behind the Warthogs net. With Basilio down, the rookie shot high, squeezing the puck inside the right post by an inch.
   "He showed tremendous speed," IceRays forward Geoff Bumstead said. "I thought the goalie had him stopped to be honest, (Basilio) played it perfectly. It was just one of things that worked out."
   Wickenheiser said many of the IceRays couldn't believe Praznik scored the goal.
   "It was a tremendous all-around effort, but I think the puck had some eyes," Wickenheiser said.
   Praznik followed the goal with an even-strength goal two minutes later. He has 36 this season.
   With the win, Corpus Christi improved to 29-22-8 (66 points). The team has won six of its last seven games with 11 remaining in the regular season.
   Alexandria fell to 19-33-9 (47 points) and will most likely miss the 1999-2000 Western Professional Hockey League playoffs.
   Along with two assists, Wickenheiser scored his 53rd goal in the win. He is tied with Lubbock's Kyle Reeves as the league leaders in goals scored.
   After Praznik's second goal, Corpus Christi had a 4-0 lead. Alexandria would come back with three straight goals before IceRays forward Dustin McArthur scored an insurance goal with 1:39 to play to give his team a 5-3 lead.
   Corpus Christi goalie Eddy Skazyk stopped 26 shots to improve to 17-12-5.
   IceCubes
   A UNSTOPPABLE: The IceRays are one of four WPHL teams that have not been shutout this season. New Mexico, Lubbock and Lake Charles have also scored at least one goal in every game. Corpus Christi's 253 goals scored rank fourth in the league behind New Mexico, Lubbock and El Paso, all of which are Eastern Division teams.
   Alexandria 0 0 3 - 3
   Corpus Christi 1 3 1 - 5
   FIRST PERIOD - 1, Corpus Christi, Alex Kholomeyev (Johnson), 13:07. PENALTIES - Troitsky, CC (holding), 5:39; Shiryaev, CC (holding), 17:14.
   SECOND PERIOD - 2, Corpus Christi, Kurt Wickenheiser (Wingfield, Shiryaev), 6:24. 3, Corpus Christi, Tobin Praznik (Wickenheiser, Doherty), 16:18, (sh). 4, Corpus Christi, T. Praznik (Wickenheiser, Bumstead), 18:37. PENALTIES - Janicki, CC (hooking), 15:51.
   THIRD PERIOD - 5, Alexandria, Mark Biesenthal (Adolfson, Pain), 3:53. 6, Alexandria, Jason Pain (Biesenthal), 13:13. 7, Alexandria, Marcus Adolfson (Weir, C. Van Tassel), 17:53. 8, Corpus Christi, Dustin McArthur (Johnson), 18:21. PENALTIES - Shiryaev, CC (elbowing), 5:39; Van Horlick, CC (high-sticking, 10-min. misconduct), 9:24;
   SHOTS ON GOAL - Alexandria 7-11-11 29. Corpus Christi 19-18-13 50. GOALIES - Corpus Christi, Eddy Skazyk (17-12-5). Alexandria, Sean Basilio (5-10-3), left at 20:00 of 2nd period; Jeff Blair (7-10-5), entered at 0:00 of 3rd period. A - announced sellout, 3,510. REFEREE - Steve Cruickshank.
  
  

---

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

| Talk about this story | Next Story | Home |

---

[ Printer-friendly version ]
[ Subscribe to newspaper ]

SEND THIS PAGE TO A FRIEND

---

  © 2000, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.