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Sunday, January 28, 2001

IceRays triumph under trying conditions
Melting ice not enough to stop Corpus Christi in 5-2 win over Fort Worth
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times

Associated Press

Fort Worth’s Chad Woollard (left) and Clint Cabana (right) collide with Corpus Christi’s Cory Evans during Saturday’s game at Memorial Coliseum.

Not even sabotage could stop the Corpus Christi IceRays.
   Playing most of the game on a melting ice surface, Corpus Christi posted its sixth straight home win and fourth in a row with a 5-2 victory over Fort Worth Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum.
   The start of the game was delayed 30 minutes because of problems with the ice. A layer of water was left on the surface after the zamboni completed its pregame run and did not dry, leaving puddles across most of the rink.
   Officials first blamed the zamboni for the excess water, but it was later discovered that the chiller outside Memorial Coliseum had been shut off sometime before the game, causing the ice to melt. Maintenance crews did a routine pregame check at 4:30 p.m. and found no trouble with the cooling system.
   Although the ice did not begin to freeze until late in the third period, Corpus Christi had no trouble scoring. Forward Alex Kholomeyev led the IceRays with two goals, while Layne Roland, Cory Evans and Geoff Bumstead each added one goal each.
   "It was tough, but both teams had to play on the same ice," Corpus Christi coach Taylor Hall said. "It's no different than a football game played in the snow or in the rain. You have to adapt to the conditions."
   Corpus Christi improves to 25-18-3 (53 points) in the Western Professional Hockey League Eastern Division. The win moves the IceRays into sole possession of fourth place in the standings. Monroe lost to Tupelo, 4-0, Friday night to fall to 24-18-4 (52 points). The Moccasins visit Memorial Coliseum Thursday night.
   Once the game did start, Corpus Christi spent the first minute defending a hard offensive charge by the Brahmas. After thwarting Fort Worth on three chances at the Corpus Christi net, the IceRays made their push up the ice.
   The IceRays didn't have the puck for more than 10 seconds when Kholomeyev beat Fort Worth goalie Rob Laurie for a 1-0 lead.
   Several players from both teams slipped and slid across the ice because of the sloshy conditions. Play was stopped for about five minutes with 7:29 left in the first period to remove water that had collected around the Fort Worth goal.
   Corpus Christi had the only power play opportunity of the opening period after an tripping penalty on Fort Worth's Ben Gorewich, which happened three minutes into the game.
   With less than two minutes left in the first, Roland gave the IceRays a 2-0 lead with his sixth goal in as many games. The goal also extended Roland's scoring streak to seven games
   The chiller was fixed near the end of the first period and an extra 20 extra minutes was added to the first intermission to allow the water time to freeze.
   When the players returned for the second period, the condition of the ice hadn't improved. The game continued, but neither team seemed to be bothered by the water.
   Corpus Christi added to its lead 5:42 into the second period on a goal by Evans.
   Fort Worth quickly cut into the IceRays' advantage when Justin Cardwell scored 73 seconds after Evans to make it a 3-1 game.
   Any momentum the Brahmas had created with the goal was squashed by Corpus Christi's Kholomeyev, who scored his second goal of the game with nine minutes left in the second period.
   Six minutes later, Bumstead gave the IceRays a 5-1 lead with his 14th goal of the season.
   Fort Worth's Cardwell brought the Brahmas to within three goals with his second goal of the night, which came just 12 seconds after Bumstead's score.

   ICERAYS 5, BRAHMAS 2
   Fort Worth 0 2 0-2
   Corpus Christi 2 3 0-5
   First Period - 1, CC, Kholomeyev 15 (Frappier) 1:12; 2, CC, Roland 10 (Wickenheiser, Praznik) 17:35. Penalties-Gorewich, FW (obstruction tripping) 3:23.
   Second Period - 3, CC, Evans 5 (Wingfield, Dumoulin) 5:42; 4, FW, Cardwell 25 (Harris) 6:55; 5, CC, Kholomeyev 16 (McArthur, Paluseo) 11:06; 6, CC, Bumstead 14 (Bourque) 17:09; 7, FW, Cardwell 26 (Cabana, Woollard) 17:21. Penalties-Frappier, CC (holding) 14:27; Evans, CC (fighting) 17:11; Dobbyn, FW (fighting) 17:11.
   Third Period - None. Penalties - Paluseo, CC (hooking) 4:47; Dumoulin, CC (holding) 11:46; Tilson, FW (tripping) 15:24.
   Shots on goal - Fort Worth 11-15-10-36; Corpus Christi 17-10-5-32. Power-play opportunities - Fort Worth 0 of 3; Corpus Christi 0 of 2. Goalies - Fort Worth, Laurie 15-7-5 (32 shots-27 saves); Corpus Christi, Skazyk 11-13-10 (36-34 ). Referee - Peter Friesema. Linesmen - Paul Wilkinson, Mike Levar. A - 3,770.



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

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