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Thursday, March 29, 2001
Advantage IceRays
Start of playoffs may be the only chance Corpus Christi has to play on home ice
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
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| David Adame/Caller-Times |
| Because of scheduling conflicts, the IceRays will have the opportunity to play their first playoff games on home ice. |
Corpus Christi's road through the Western Professional Hockey League playoffs will begin at home.
Scheduling conflicts with the Tupelo Coliseum forced the league to reschedule the first-round series between the IceRays and T-Rex. The best-of-7 series will begin with three games at Memorial Coliseum, the first scheduled for Friday night. The fourth game and remaining three, if needed, will be played in Tupelo.
The IceRays (38-28-4), who were 3-1-1 against Tupelo during the regular season, are also facing their own scheduling problems. Preparations for the annual Buc Days Pro Rodeo are scheduled to begin Friday, April 13. If Corpus Christi does advance into the second round, the IceRays would have to continue their run through the playoffs on the road.
Goaltender Eddy Skazyk said the team needs to cash in on its opportunity.
"We have the chance to win in front of our fans," said Skazyk, who finished with a 21-12-3 record in front of the net. "This is also probably our last chance to play at home. Our goal now is to do what ever it takes to win. If ever we were given the advantage, it's right now."
Tupelo (46-20-5) closed the regular season with 10 straight wins and finished with the best record in the WPHL. The prospect of having a 3-0 edge in the series before leaving for Tupelo has provided a boost for the IceRays.
"Tupelo played all year to get home-ice advantage. That's just bad luck. Now it's up to us," said forward Kurt Wickenheiser, who scored 29 goals and recorded 36 assists in 65 games. "Anytime a best-of-7 series starts with three games at your place, it's definitely an advantage. If we're up, 3-0, going into Tupelo, I can't see them beating us four straight games."
Corpus Christi posted a 4-0 win over Tupelo in the first meeting, and then split a two-game series on consecutive night at Tupelo Coliseum. The IceRays held on for a 3-2 win in the fourth meeting before giving up a four-goal lead in a 7-6 shootout loss to the T-Rex last week.
As the fourth team from the Eastern Division, coach Taylor Hall said a strong performance against Tupelo could launch the IceRays into the next round, which will be against Bossier-Shreveport or Austin.
"The pressure is on Tupelo. We expect to win, and I think we can beat them," Hall said. "Once you're in the playoffs, the key is to get over the initial hump. A good start will carry over, especially in a seven-game series. We're healthy and in a good position. Now we have to get ourselves on track and do it."
Aside from winning 10 straight games, Tupelo has won 18 of its last 19 and is 21-3-1 over its last 25 games. The T-Rex have scored at least six goals in three of their last four games and are 23-8-4 at home.
Wickenheiser said the IceRays are looking to bring Tupelo's recent success to and end.
"They're bound to cool off sooner or later. Hopefully this is the time," Wickenheiser said. "We have to be focused and play up to the ability we know we can play at. We can't take time off during the game. We have to play every shift like it's our last."
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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