Return from break: IceRays, Jets win on Thursday

December 29, 2017

Shreveport 1 @ Corpus Christi 2 (OT) - The IceRays and Mudbugs returned from their holiday in dramatic fashion as the IceRays took down the first-place Mudbugs in electrifying fashion on Thursday night with a 2-1 overtime victory. In the opening frame, the Mudbugs converted on their first power play late in the first period, courtesy of a Gueorgui Feduolov strike from the right circle. Jacob Acton was perfect in net for the Rays during period two, turning aside all nine Shreveport shots and providing his team with the opportunity to level the score. A dozen minutes into the middle stanza, the IceRays did just that. Larry Jungwirth cleared the puck down the right boards past a pinching Mudbugs defenseman, which yielded a broken two-on-one for Rylee St. Onge and Aleksi Peltonen. St. Onge corralled the puck in the right corner and fed a no-look pass to Peltonen, who spun a shot on net and forced James Durham to make a save and St. Onge cleaned up the loose puck following the save and tucked it home to tie the score at 1-1. Shreveport controlled the tempo for the majority of the overtime segment, but the IceRays defenders managed to keep quality scoring chances at a minimum. Acton took care of the two shots, which were sent his way during sudden death, and he bought his team enough time to strike back. Blake Coffey fed Brendan Miller a pass in the high slot, where he tapped the puck along to Peltonen in the right circle. Rather than firing a one-timer, Peltonen received Miller’s pass, found an opening, stepped between the hashmarks, and rifled a wrist shot over Durham’s glove. The goal was Peltonen’s first overtime winner as an IceRay. Acton earned his second victory of the season, making 25 of a possible 26 saves, while Durham denied 29 of 31 in his second overtime defeat. Boxscore

 

MN Magicians 3 @ Janesville 6 – Matt Hanewall scored twice to lead the Janesville Jets to a 6-3 home win over the visiting Magicians on the first game back from holiday break for both teams. The Magicians were to ones who led early as Kyler Grundy opened the scoring in the opening period to make it 1-0 for the visitors.  The Jets struck back on the power play early in the 2nd period as Simon Sagissor scored his 3rd goal of the season to make it 1-1. The Magicians snagged back the lead as Brendan Skarda scored his 7th of the season to make it 2-1. The tide in the game turned as Magicians starting goalie Isaiah Saville had to come out of the game with an injury midway though the 2nd period, which opened the floodgates for the Jets, who would score three times later in the period on goals from John Pesek, Jordan Steinmetz and Brendan MacLaren to take a 4-2 lead to the lockerroom. In the 3rd period, a goal forward Jarrett Lee cut the lead to 4-3, but two goals from Hanewall later in the 3rd period from Hanewall secured the win. Garrett Nieto made 20 saves in the win, while George McBey took the loss for Minnesota, making 13 saves. Saville ended the night with 18 saves on 19 shots. Boxscore