Corpus Christi Online - / IceRays waste three-goal first period in loss to Scorpions

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Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1998
IceRays waste three-goal first period in loss to Scorpions
New Mexico nets four unanswered goals to ruin Hall's Tingley Coliseum return, 4-3
From staff and correspondent reports

   NEW MEXICO - Homecoming in New Mexico proved forgettable for IceRays coach Taylor Hall and several of his players Tuesday evening.
   Hall and six IceRays returned to New Mexico's Tingley Coliseum for the first time since leaving the Scorpions before the beginning of the season.
   Hall's current squad squandered a three goal first period Tuesday and never regrouped during the Scorpions' 4-3 Western Professional Hockey League victory over the IceRays.
   Hall's record slipped to 1-1 against his former team - the other being the IceRays' 7-6 shootout victory at home against the Scorpions (11-10-3, 25 points) in October.
   The Central Division-leading IceRays (13-9-1, 27 points) have lost four games in a row but maintain a one point advantage over second place Waco (12-5-2, 26 points).
   New Mexico center Craig Hamelin's backhanded shot past IceRays goalie Scott Barber with 1:16 remaining in the second period capped a three-goal period by the Scorpions and broke a 3-all tie. Earlier, Hamelin scored with a minute remaining before the first intermission to slice the IceRays' advantage to 3-1.
   The IceRays drew first blood 4:14 into play when winger Geoff Bumstead pushed his 10th goal of the season past Scorpions goalie Roby Gropp. Gropp was forced to sprawl out onto the ice but couldn't make the save after he deflected Corpus Christi winger Lorne Toews' shot attempt to Bumstead on the power play.
   Nearly thirteen minutes later, the IceRays built a 3-0 first period lead. Corpus Christi outshot the Scorpions 17-9 during the period and 45-36 for the game.
   Right wing Pavel Evstigneev scored on a backhanded shot after receiving a pass from Dave Shute for his 16th goal of the season. Toews followed with a goal three minutes later to give the IceRays the short-lived 3-0 advantage.
   Scorpions center Jeff Mancini tallied his 16th goal of the season on the power play midway through the second period to trim the lead to 3-2. Mancini also received an assist, as did Mike Sanderson on former IceRays defenseman Dean Shmyr's first goal of the season, which tied the game at 3. Shmyr added insult by picking up the puck, skating to the Corpus Christi bench and tossing it into the assortment of IceRay players. Shmyr received a 10 minute misconduct penalty for his actions.
   Gropp preserved the victory in the final minute when he recovered to deny center Mike Tomlinson's shot, which was, for an instant, traveling toward an empty net.
   An IceRays goal was disallowed by the officials in the second period after Vadim Sharapov crashed into and dislodged the net before stuffing the puck past Gropp.
   Corpus Christi returns home to Memorial Coliseum Friday to play the Fort Worth Brahmas at 7:05 p.m. The IceRays completed their five game, 21/2 week road trip Tuesday.
   TUESDAY'S SUMMARY
   Corpus Christi 3 0 0 3-
   New Mexico 1 3 0 4-
   First period - 1. Corpus Christi, Geoff Bumstead (pp) (Lorne Toews, Mike Tomlinson), 4:14. 2. Corpus Christi, Pavel Evstigneev, (David Shute, Vadim Sharapov), 14:29. 3. Corpus Christi, Toews, (Bumstead, Chris Robertson), 17:47. 4. New Mexico, Craig Hamelin (Jeff Goldie, Jorin Welch), 18:56.
   Second period - 5. New Mexico, Jeff Mancini (Dean Shmyr, Mike Sanderson), 10:13. 6. New Mexico, Shmyr, (Sanderson, Mancini), 13:15. 7. New Mexico, Hamelin, (Goldie, Kelly Morel), 18:44.
   Third period - None.
   Shots on goal - Corpus Christi 17-18-10-45; New Mexico 9-19-8-36.; Power play opportunities - Corpus Christi 1 for 2; New Mexico 0 for 3. Goalies - Corpus Christi: Scott Barber 3-5, (36 shots, 32 saves). New Mexico: Roby Gropp 6-5, (45 shots, 42 saves). A - 2,795

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