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Thursday, February 1, 2001

Game with Monroe critical for playoffs
Streaking IceRays need victory for breathing room in WPHL standings
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Taylor Hall knows it's important to win at home.
   Hall also knows the value of a home victory over a divisional foe, which is what his Corpus Christi IceRays will be looking to accomplish tonight when the Monroe Moccasins visit Memorial Coliseum. Monroe (24-19-4) is just one point behind Corpus Christi (25-18-3) for fourth place in the Western Professional Hockey League Eastern Division.
   A win by Corpus Christi would give the IceRays breathing room as they fight for the division's final playoff spot; a loss could prove to be disastrous.
   "This is probably the biggest test of the year for us," Hall said. "They know the importance of this game, and we know the importance of this game. We need to take advantage of having the home ice and come out and outwork their guys."
   Corpus Christi is 9-1-1 over its last 11 games and has won four straight. The IceRays also have won six consecutive games at Memorial Coliseum, the last two over Fort Worth.
   Monroe, meanwhile, has lost two straight games to fall behind Corpus Christi in the division. Two consecutive shutouts and seven losses in their last nine have the Moccasins going the opposite way of the IceRays in the standings.
   Despite Monroe's recent woes, Hall said tonight's game is not a sure win. It is a must win, however.
   "When you play a team you're battling against for a playoff spot, you have to win," Hall said. "We've been able to make up some ground during the last month. Now that we have ourselves in a playoff position, we don't want to lose it."

CHILL OUT: Hall said the ice surface at Memorial Coliseum is back to normal. The chiller that keeps the water frozen was shut off before last Saturday's 5-2 win over Fort Worth, which caused the ice to melt and resulted in several delays.
   The start of the game was delayed 30 minutes to give the ice time to re-freeze. But it continued to melt throughout the game and did not begin to freeze until late in the third quarter.
   "Everything's working again now," Hall said. "The chiller has been back on all week and the system is running great. We should have great ice."
   Corpus Christi is 3-0-0 when the start of the game is delayed by problems with the ice. All three wins have come against teams coached by Todd Lalonde, now with Fort Worth. On Dec. 5, 1999, the IceRays defeated Central Texas, 6-3, after a 3-hour delay at Memorial Coliseum. Corpus Christi posted a 4-3 win over the Stampede earlier this season in Belton after the game was delayed one hour.

STREAKING: Layne Roland has scored a goal in Corpus Christi's last six games, the current longest streak in the league. The forward has scored 10 points in the last seven games, third behind New Mexico's Peter Ambroziak and Doug McCarthy, who each have scored 11 in their last seven games.
   IceRays forward Tobin Praznik is on a four-game assist streak, the second-longest current streak in the WPHL.

MORE MILESTONES: Alex Kholomeyev scored twice in last Saturday's 5-2 victory over Fort Worth, giving the forward his 249th and 250th goals of his career. Kholomeyev is also six games away from playing his 500th game and needs just 11 assists to reach 300.



Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by e-mail at becerraj@caller.com

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