Corpus Christi Online - / Waco gets defensive in 5-2 victory over division-leading IceRays

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Saturday, Nov. 7, 1998
Waco gets defensive in 5-2 victory over division-leading IceRays
Wizards' blueliners shackle WPHL's top-scoring offense, hand Corpus Christi first road loss of season
From staff and correspondent reports

   WACO -- The Western Professional Hockey League's best defense shackled the league's best offense Friday, as Waco handed Corpus Christi its first road loss of the season, 5-2, at the Heart O' Texas Coliseum.
   The Wizards (6-2-1) have given up just 24 goals all year -- the fewest in the WPHL. Waco goalie Kory Cooper (4-1) entered the contest with the league's best goals-against average at 2.42. Corpus Christi's 63 goals are the most by any WPHL team.
   Defense prevailed Friday, as the IceRays were unable to rally from a two-goal deficit in the third period. The Wizards' 13 points are good for second place in the WPHL's Central Division, five points behind division-leading Corpus Christi (9-4). The loss ended the IceRays' four-game winning streak. Corpus Christi is now 4-1 in games away from Memorial Coliseum.
   Corpus Christi travels to Austin today for a 7:30 p.m. game at the Travis County Expo Center. The IceRays are 2-1 in the season series with the Ice Bats.
   After Craig Coxe scored his fourth goal of the year to give the IceRays a 1-0 lead in the first period, Waco scored two goals in 31 seconds to take control of the contest, 2-1. The Wizards' Luc Gagne then added a power-play goal with one second remaining in the first period to give Waco a commanding 3-1 lead. Gagne's goal -- his second of the night -- proved to be the game-winner.
   After a scoreless second period, IceRays defenseman Bob Quinell scored his third goal of the year early in the third to trim the Waco lead to 3-2. Five minutes later, however, Waco's Cotton Gore gave the Wizards all the insurance they would need. Gore's wrist shot sailed past Corpus Christi goalie Frank Caprice and provided Waco the two-goal lead, 4-2.
   Waco's Tony Cimellaro added an empty-net goal with 16 seconds remaining in the game.
   Coxe has recorded either a goal or an assist in 12 of the IceRays' 13 games. Chris Robertson and Vadim Sharapov assisted on the Coxe goal. Robertson and Sharapov continue to lead the league in points with 24 and 21, respectively.
    SCORING SUMMARY
    Corpus Christi 1 0 1 -- 2
    Waco 3 0 1 -- 5
    FIRST PERIOD -- 1, Corpus Christi, Craig Coxe (Robertson, Sharapov), 5:29. 2, Waco, Dave MacIntyre (Cahill, Gore), 10:16 (pp). 3, Waco, Luc Gagne, 10:47. 4, Waco, Luc Gagne (Holmes, Martin), 19:59 (pp).
    SECOND PERIOD -- no scoring.
    THIRD PERIOD -- 5, Corpus Christi, Bob Quinell (Toews), 4:31. 6, Waco, Cotton Gore (Gagne), 9:06. 7, Waco, Tony Cimellaro, 19:44.
   IceCubes
   WPHL HONORS BROWER: WPHL President Rick Kozuback announced Friday that the league's annual Most Outstanding Goalie will receive the Scott Brower Memorial Trophy. The former IceRays director of ticketing was killed in a car wreck on Oct. 21. Prior to joining the Corpus Christi franchise, Brower played goalie in the IHL, ECHL and the CHL after winning an NCAA Division I national championship with the University of North Dakota.
   "I believe this to be a very fitting tribute to a young man who had a tremendous impact on not only the Corpus Christi IceRays organization, but on the entire WPHL and hockey community," Kozuback said. "His contributions will be remembered annually with the presentation of this award."
   ICERAYS SIGN TWO: With injuries to two of his team's four defensemen, IceRays coach Taylor Hall signed two blue-liners, according to published league reports. Hall claimed defenseman Derek Pajot off waivers Wednesday and signed Yuri Lyaskovsky to a one-year contract Thursday.
   Pajot, who began the year with Corpus Christi, was traded by Hall to New Mexico just days before the season opener on Oct. 13. Pajot played four games for the Scorpions and was traded to Fort Worth. The Brahmas then waived Pajot and Hall signed Pajot to the standard, one-year player's contract.
   Lyaskovsky also signed a standard player's contract with the IceRays. The Ukrainian played previously for the CHL's Tacoma Sabercats in this is his first year playing professional hockey in America.
   GENIK WINS FIRST GAME: Thursday's 4-2 victory over Austin was Corpus Christi goalie Jason Genik's first professional start in goal. The Winnipeg, Alberta native attended the University of Manitoba. He hadn't played a game in goal in seven months prior to Thursday.
   "It felt good to get that first one," Genik said. "I thought I played well for about 58 minutes."
   Genik stopped 19 of Austin's 21 shots.
   Staff Writer Mark Button can be reached at 886-3613, through e-mail at buttonm@scripps.com or on the internet at www. caller.com.

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