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Friday, January 26, 2001
'Rays cross paths
All-Stars now play together
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Though Kurt Wickenheiser and Jamie Hearn have been teammates for only half a season, the two have a familiar past.
Their history in the Western Professional Hockey League began in 1997, the league's inaugural year. Wickenheiser was a forward with the New Mexico Scorpions, Hearn a defenseman for the Waco Wizards.
Playing in separate divisions, the two faced each other in the WPHL's first all-star game in 1996, with Hearn's Eastern Division earning the victory over Wickenheiser and the West, coached by Taylor Hall.
Now Wickenheiser and Hearn are all-stars once again. Only this time, they're on the same side.
The Corpus Christi IceRays have been in Odessa since Thursday for tonight's Smokey Mountain Snuff All-Star Game, scheduled to begin at 8 at Ector County Coliseum.
This is the first all-star selection for both Wickenheiser and Hearn since their first seasons in the WPHL, and the defenseman is savoring the experience.
"I can't really say how much longer I'll be around," said Hearn, third on the IceRays in scoring with 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists). "I figure I'm near the end of my career, but I'll probably go another one or two years. To even get on the ballot is nice. To make it is that much more special."
For Wickenheiser, his all-star selection means he's been a little bit busier than he expected this year.
After leading the Corpus Christi IceRays with 63 goals last season, Kurt Wickenheiser told his teammates that he would be diminishing his role on offense.
It seemed no one listened.
Wickenheiser again leads the IceRays in goals (22), but gives his team all the credit for his selection by Eastern Division coach Todd Lalonde.
"I think you're only as good as the players around you," said Wickenheiser, who with 23 assists leads Corpus Christi with 45 points. "I planned to play more of a defensive role and said to the guys that I wouldn't be trying to score as many as I did last year. This is an honor. Being 36, believe me, I'm happy."
The league's first all-star game was played on Jan. 15, 1997, at the Bell County Exposition Center in Belton. Hearn recorded the first assist in WPHL all-star history on a pass to Austin's Bobby Wall 4:40 into the first period. The lone assist helped open the scoring en route to the Eastern Division's 14-9 win over the West.
Wickenheiser also put his stamp on the event, playing on the Western squad under Hall, who at the time was with New Mexico as a first-year coach. At 12:03 into the second period, Wickenheiser provided the only assist on a goal by fellow Scorpion Pat Dunn, now the director of ticket sales for the IceRays.
Although Wickenheiser and Hearn are in Odessa, some of their focus will remain on the IceRays, who will try for their sixth straight home win when they host Fort Worth Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum.
Corpus Christi is 24-18-3 (51 points) and in third place in the Eastern Division, just one point behind Monroe. The IceRays have won eight of their last 10 games and the last three in a row.
With a stretch of five consecutive home games, Wickenheiser said the team needs to maintain its momentum as it prepares for the second half of the season.
"We hoped for a streak like this, and keeping it alive is very important if we want to make the playoffs," said Wickenheiser, in his 16th year as a professional. "If we can keep it going, there's no reason why we can't make the playoffs. The main thing right now is consistency. We can't be good for three games and then bad for three games."
Wickenheiser and Hearn are scheduled to arrive back in Corpus Christi Saturday at around 2 p.m., which leaves them only five hours before the IceRays' game against the Brahmas.
Hearn doesn't think being gone for two days will matter.
"It's only one game," Hearn said. "I think we'll be alright."
Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by email at becerraj@caller.com
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a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.
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