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Friday, January 19, 2001
IceRays look to end trend
C.C. has only won one game against rival Ice Bats
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Taylor Hall knows hard work can produce positive results.
What the Austin Ice Bats has done to the Corpus Christi IceRays this season, however, more than proves Hall's belief:
Austin has outscored Corpus Christi, 33-11.
The Ice Bats are 6-1 against the IceRays.
They have defeated the IceRays by the score of 8-1 on two different occasions, once in Austin and once in Corpus Christi.
Only one of Corpus Christi's losses has been by one goal.
What the IceRays have in their favor as they prepare to face Austin once again tonight is a midseason resurgence that has led to six wins in their last eight games.
Tonight at the Travis County Exposition Center, the Ice Bats will be looking to continue their stranglehold on the IceRays and the Western Professional Hockey League's Eastern Division.
Fresh off a 7-3 win over Amarillo last Wednesday, Hall and the IceRays are expecting a different outcome.
"This is a huge game for us," said Hall, whose IceRays are 22-18-3 (47 points) and in fifth place in the Eastern Division. "The big thing about Austin is that not only are they a very skilled team, but the hardest working team in the league. We have to be on our toes in their building if we want to continue to get points."
The Ice Bats (27-11-3), who had a six-game winning streak snapped Monday by Amarillo, sit atop the Eastern Division with 57 points. Tupelo is second with 53 points.
Tonight's contest will be the fourth straight meeting in Austin, where Corpus Christi hasn't had much luck, if any at all. In four games at the Travis County Exposition Center, Austin has outscored the IceRays 18-4, including a 3-0 victory Dec. 26.
Austin, who lost in Corpus Christi, 4-2, back on Nov. 14, may seem unbeatable at home to the IceRays. Hall said his team needs to use that as motivation.
"Obviously in that building, it's tougher to win," Hall said. "We're not going to use that as an excuse. We should be able to win anywhere. That should get us that much more ready for the game. With the way we've been playing it could be a huge confidence builder."
The last time Corpus Christi and Austin faced off, the Ice Bats escaped with a 3-2 shootout win. Hall said it was the best he's seen his team play against the Ice Bats this season.
"Some games against them, it's been tough to gauge our performance," said Hall, referring to Austin's 8-1 routes of the IceRays. "They've been hungrier than we have been."
Hall said he won't know until the teams take the ice whether Corpus Christi will be in game mode.
"The key for us is seeing if we come out ready to play," he said. "It doesn't matter who's out on the ice, as long as they're all playing hard."
Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by e-mail at becerraj@caller.com
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© 2001,
a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.
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