Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - IceRays shoot down Stampede

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Thursday, October 19, 2000

IceRays shoot down Stampede
C.C. claims 4-3 victory in shootout
By Matt Young
Caller-Times

David Adame/Caller-Times

Corpus Christi goalie Jason Carey (left) leaps into the air to corral a loose puck Wednesday during the IceRays' game against the Central Texas Stampede.

It's only fitting that it took six rounds of a sudden-death shootout to decide a game featuring two of the Western Professional Hockey League's top goaltenders.
   Jeff Paluseo beat Central Texas goalie Matt Barnes by going top shelf on the Corpus Christi IceRays' sixth shot in the shootout to give Corpus Christi a 4-3 win over Central Texas on Wednesday at Memorial Coliseum. The win gives Corpus Christi its first 3-0 start in franchise history.
   The game was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation and the shootout was tied 1-1 after five attempts by each team. On Central Texas' sixth attempt, IceRays goalie Jason Carey stoned Central Texas' Peter Zurba, setting up Paluseo's heroics. Paluseo faked Barnes left, then lifted a shot over Barnes' left shoulder for the win.
   "It's nice to help the club in any way I could, and it just came down to a lucky shot, I guess," Paluseo said.
   Carey, who was an all-star for Central Texas last season, got his second win of the season after recording 26 saves in regulation and stopping five of six shots in the shootout. Barnes, who had the lowest goals-against average last season, turned away 31 shots in regulation.
   Corpus Christi's Dustin McArthur and Central Texas' Ron Newhook also both scored in the shootout.
   The IceRays tied the game midway through the third period when Gatis Tseplis found the net for the first time this season. Tseplis took a pass from Matt Sharuga and his blind shot ended up in the back of the net to tie the score 3-3 with 10 minutes, 3 seconds left in the game.
   Central Texas took the lead earlier in the period when Preston scored his second goal of the game. Preston sent two straight shots off Carey, before finding a hole on his third shot for the goal early in the third period.
   The IceRays sandwiched an ugly second period of penalty-filled hockey with two goals.
   McArthur scored the IceRays first goal after skating out of the penalty box. With McArthur out of the penalty box, the IceRays had numbers on a breakaway. Alex Kholomeyev set up McArthur with a pass on the left, and McArthur put it in the net to tie the game at 1-1.
   From there, the period was plagued with penalties. There were 17 penalties in the period, including 11 by Corpus Christi.
   The IceRays played most of the period shorthanded and that came back to haunt them late in the period when Central Texas skated with a 5-on-3 advantage. Carey had helped kill nine Central Texas power plays up to that point, but the two-man advantage proved to be too much to overcome. Dave Macintyre beat Carey on a one-timer from Chris Johnston with 3:03 left in the period.
   With both teams finally skating even in the final minute of the second period, the IceRays fought back to even the score. Kholomeyev registered his second assist when he found Jamie Hearn on the left side of the net, who sent the puck top shelf for the goal.
   "It seemed like we had to play shorthanded for about 16 minutes in the second period, so when we finally got even we needed to do something," Hearn said. "(Kholomeyev) put the puck near the net, and I was lucky enough to put it in."


Staff writer Matt Young can be reached at 886-3702 or by e-mail at youngm@caller.com

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