Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - IceRays’ defense falters in a 3-2 loss

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Sunday, October 21, 2001
IceRays’ defense falters in a 3-2 loss
Corpus Christi ‘D’ holds strong until game’s end and OT
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Defense doomed the Corpus Christi IceRays in their season opening loss to San Antonio.
   It once again proved to be the IceRays' downfall, as the El Paso Buzzards escaped with a 3-2 overtime win Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum. With the loss, Corpus Christi is 0-1-1 (one point) in the new Central Hockey League, while the Buzzards return home with a 1-0-0 (two points) record.
   Tenacious defensive play helped the IceRays maintain a 2-1 lead until late in the third period, when El Paso's Troy Linna tied the game with 28 seconds left after having pulled goaltender Jeff Levy.
   In overtime, with the Buzzards skating 4 on 3 following a high sticking double minor on Kurt Wickenheiser, John Hanson easily scored the game winner on goaltender Hugo Hamelin.
   "That's absolutely unacceptable," said forward Jeff Cheeseman, who scored the IceRays' first goal in the first period. "To have a goal lead in our building and then to give that up, that cannot happen. We can't afford to have letdowns at that point in the game, to any team."
   Corpus Christi's line of defenders effectively shielded Hamelin on a number of scoring opportunities throughout the game. When the Buzzards did manage to find an open shot, Hamelin was there to make a dazzling save.
   The Buzzards crowded the crease on Linna's goal. Even having to defend against an extra forward, Corpus Christi coach Dale Henry said the breakdown could have been avoided.
   "We played hard for 40 minutes. In the third, I don't know what happened. We just went into a shell, and obviously that's not what we want to do," Henry said. "We had our opportunities, but we have to be committed to play the full 60 minutes. The last couple of minutes we went back on our heels."
   The IceRays produced their only offense with a pair of goals in the first period. Cheeseman scored at the 11:55 mark, but El Paso's Chris Zaleski tied the game five minutes later. Alex Kholomeyev responded with a goal with 37 seconds left in the period, giving Corpus Christi a one-goal lead.
   Early in the first, El Paso forward Kelly Riou stole the puck from defenseman Jason Smith in the Corpus Christi zone. Riou took a shot from the left of the crease, but Hamelin knocked the puck away to the boards.
   The IceRays took control and quickly pushed the puck into the El Paso zone. Corpus Christi's Matt Sharuga worked his way around a defender for a close shot on goal. Levy denied Sharuga, who was signed Saturday morning.
   Corpus Christi went on a power play at the 4:04 mark in the first when Chris Peach was called for hooking. Just as the penalty expired, IceRays defenseman Jason Carriere slapped a shot from beyond the left circle before Levy stretched and caught the puck in his glove.
   With eight minutes left to play in the first, Cheeseman scored on a long pass from Andy Disch to give Corpus Christi a 1-0 lead.
   The Buzzards went on their first power play at 16:19 on a hooking call against Disch, who spent just 13 seconds in the penalty box before Zaleski scored on a slap shot from near the blue line.
   Both teams traded shots for the remainder of the period, and appeared to be headed into the first intermission tied, 1-1. Kholomeyev gave Corpus Christi the lead, 2-1, with 37 seconds on the clock.
   El Paso 1 0 1 1-3
   Corpus Christi 2 0 0 0-2
   First period - 1, CC, Cheeseman 1 (Disch) 11:55; 2, EP, Zaleski 1 (Lange, Linna) 16:32; 3, CC, Kholomeyev 1 (Paluseo) 19:23. Penalties - Peach, EP (hooking) 4:04; Pool, CC (obstruction holding) 12:45; Disch, CC (tripping) 16:19.
   Second period - none. Penalties - Zaleski, EP (interference) 6:07; Dudley, EP (obstruction tipping) 10:34; Disch, CC (obstruction hooking) 13:54; DeGurse, CC (roughing) 19:41; Peach, EP (roughing) 19:41.
   Third period - 4, EP, Linna 1 (Waring, Burgess) 19:32. Penalties - McKinlay, CC (interference) 2:44; Tessier, EP (obstruction tripping) 3:01; Hanson, EP (roughing) 3:32; Sharuga, CC (roughing) 3:32; Volk, EP (obstruction holding) 9:42.
   Overtime - 5, EP, Hanson 1 (Tessier, Rees) 1:28. Penalties - Wickenheiser, CC (highsticking double minor) :56.
   Shots on goal - El Paso, 13-10-11-1--35; Corpus Christi 9-6-7-1-23. Power-play opportunities - El Paso 2 of 5; Corpus Christi 0 of 5. Goalies - El Paso, Levy 7-6-7-1 (23 shots-21 saves); Corpus Christi, Hamelin 12-10-10-0 (32-29). Referee - Dan Boyd. Linesmen - Dean Hill, Michael Levar. A - 3,479.
   _


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

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