Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - ’Rays sign three forwards to get team back on track

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Thursday, November 8, 2001
’Rays sign three forwards to get team back on track
C.C. brings back former player Roland and Davis, Zukiwsky
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Hoping to boost a slumping offense, the Corpus Christi IceRays added three players - all forwards - to their roster Wednesday.
   The most notable of the trio, which includes Ryan Davis and Jarret Zukiwsky, is seven-year veteran Layne Roland, who scored 22 goals and had 20 assists in 39 games last season for the IceRays.
   With an offense averaging 1.9 goals per game, first-year coach Dale Henry said the changes were inevitable.
   "With the moves that we've made I feel we're definitely strengthening our roster, especially up front," Henry said. "I know it's early in the season, but I felt things had to be changed."
   To make room on the 18-man roster, Henry released forward Mike DeGurse and defenseman Derek McKinlay. Byron Pool said he wasn't surprised by the moves.
   "Anytime you start out like we have something is going to happen," said the second-year defenseman. "Dale's hands were pretty much tied. I'm sure he would have loved to keep all the guys he brought in, but things just weren't working out."
   Winless in its last five games, Corpus Christi (1-5-2, 4 points) hosts the San Angelo Outlaws (4-4-0, 8 pts.) tonight at Memorial Coliseum. The IceRays are the only Central Hockey League team with one win.
   Eight games into the season, their first in the new Central Hockey League, the IceRays are tied with Fort Worth for fewest goals with 15. Even worse is Corpus Christi's power play, which has produced just one goal in 40 chances (2.5 percent).
   Roland, who had one goal and an assist in four games with the Knoxville Smoke of the United Hockey League, said he never thought about returning to Corpus Christi after last season.
   "It wasn't even a thought in my mind," said Roland, who had two goals and four assists in the playoffs last year. "I didn't even think about coming this way. But one day things changed, and I had an opportunity to come back. I don't know how I'll feel the first couple of games, but hopefully I can step up to the plate and help them out."
   Davis, in just his second season as a professional, was Henry's teammate last year during Bossier-Shreveport's third consecutive Western Professional Hockey League championship campaign. He finished with 11 goals and 13 assists in 37 regular-season games, and added two goals and two assists in the playoffs.
   Zukiwsky spent the last two seasons of this six-year career with Anchorage in the West Coast Hockey League. Used both as a forward and defenseman, he had seven goals and 18 assists last year for the Aces.
   Having also spent time in the CHL with San Antonio during the 1999-00 season, Zukiwsky said he's confident the additions will help spark the offense.
   "I think the team has the offense, they just need some confidence," Zukiwsky said. "Sometimes you get the chances and they don't go in. It's when you're not getting any chances that you start to worry. The three of us that came in that are all pretty offensive players that can hopefully help the team."


Contact Javier Becerra at 886-3734 or becerraj@caller.com

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