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Saturday, January 27, 2001
A trade that paid off
IceRays’ right wing Roland has helped lead team to win streak
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
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| Paul Iverson/Caller-Times |
| Corpus Christi’s Layne Roland has scored nine goals and assisted on eight others in the 15 games he has played in since joining the team after a mid-December trade that sent goalie Jason Carey to Fort Worth. Roland also played 19 games with the IceRays last season after playing in Germany. |
Looking at the statistics, it's hard to say Layne Roland has struggled since joining the Corpus Christi IceRays after a mid-December trade.
In just 15 games, Roland has scored nine goals and assisted on eight (17 points). The 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward has scored a goal in each of Corpus Christi's last five games and has helped the IceRays to three consecutive wins.
Although Roland's offensive production continues to highlight the IceRays' recent streak, he remains reserved about his contributions.
"I really struggled to get into shape when I got here," said Roland, who began the 2000-2001 season with Ev-Regensburg in Germany. "I took 10 days off before coming here to get some things done and got off to a slow start. Now I feel good."
So do the IceRays, who have won eight of their last 10 games to improve to 24-18-3 (51 points) in the Western Professional Hockey League Eastern Division. Austin (29-12-3) remains in first place in the division with 61 points, followed by Bossier-Shreveport (27-14-2) with 56.
Corpus Christi hasn't played since posting a 6-3 victory over Fort Worth last Saturday. Roland said the time off allowed several players to recover from minor injuries.
"Some of the guys were bumped and bruised," said Roland, who was acquired in a trade that sent all-star goalie Jason Carey to Forth Worth. "It's nice to get couple days off before you go back at it again."
Tonight the IceRays resume the season, now more than half over, against the Brahmas at Memorial Coliseum. With only 25 points, Fort Worth is in last place in the Eastern Division with the league's worst record (11-28-3).
Records have hardly mattered to Roland, who scored the game-winning goal in Corpus Christi's last two games, first against Austin and then last week against Fort Worth.
The Vernon, British Columbia native also spent two seasons in the WPHL from 1996-98 with Amarillo and then Central Texas. After finishing the 1998 season with 53 goals, Roland left for Germany for two years before returning for a brief stint with the IceRays.
Roland played in 19 games with Corpus Christi last season, scoring 12 goals and recording eight assists. But once again, Roland opted for a career overseas and returned to Germany.
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| Paul Iverson/Caller-Times |
| The IceRays are 9-4-2 since Roland joined the team in December. During that 15-game span, Roland has racked up 17 points. Additionally, he scored the game-winning goal in Corpus Christi’s contests against Austin and Fort Worth. |
Adjusting to the game when he returned was difficult, Roland said.
"Overseas you play on an Olympic-sized ice surface," Roland said. "The game is more free and you spend more time with the puck. Here, especially on our small rink, you can't hold on to the puck too long. Things have came together, though."
Coach Taylor Hall was more than happy to welcome Roland back to Corpus Christi.
"He's scored 50 goals in this league before and has played great this year," Hall said. "In the last week he's been the best player on the ice. Layne has totally dominated, and it only helps our chances of winning when he's playing at that caliber."
Corpus Christi lost to Austin, 4-1, in Roland's first game. Since then the IceRays are 9-3-2 and inching closer to a playoff spot in the standings.
"The addition of Layne made the team 10 times stronger," defenseman Shawn Frappier said. "He's smart and skilled. Getting him was like icing on the cake."
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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