IceRays sting Jacks on Tuesday, 8-1
By Rob Lippolis
Corpus Christi 8 @ Odessa 1 - Charles Baldwin and Eric Purcell each scored twice and Ben Myers made 25 saves as the Corpus Christi IceRays with five goals in the third period defeated the Odessa Jackalopes 8-1 on Tuesday night inside the Ector County Coliseum.
Odessa got on the board a little over midway through the first period courtesy of Anthony Olguin who wired a wrist shot over the glove of goaltender Ben Myers at 9:11 to put the Jackalopes ahead 1-0. The goal was Olguin’s 12th of the year. Assists were credited to Matthieu Audet and Dylan Campbell.
Corpus Christi responded while short-handed as Charles Baldwin forced a turnover on the right wing boards. Off the interception, Baldwin walked the puck to the slot and buried his 9th of the year and 2nd in three games beating Jacks’ netminder Nick Deery unassisted at 13:41 of period one to tie the game 1-1.
It didn’t take long for the IceRays to strike in the second period. Just 57 seconds in, Jalen Schulz took a shot from the right point that was stop initially by Nick Deery however Rudy Sulmonte pounded home the rebound, his 23rd of the year to put Corpus Christi ahead 2-1. The other assist was credited to Mike Economos.
Brandon Smith put the Rays’ up two goals with one of the easier goals he will ever score in his career. Andrew Paras let a shot go from the right point that caromed off of Smith’s upper body and behind Nick Deery, into the net for his 12th of the season at 10:21 to put Corpus Christi up 3-1.
In the final period Corpus Christi scored five goals starting with Charles Baldwin’s second short-handed goal of the night after taking a great pass from Joe Ginley just 2:13 into the third giving the IceRays a 4-1 lead.
Beau Walker and Eric Purcell each scored just 14 seconds apart to put Corpus Christi ahead 6-1. Walker scored his 7th of the year assisted by Rudy Sulmonte at 11:16 while Purcell tallied his 13th at 11:30 with the lone assist going to Walker.
Grant Hutton gave Corpus Christi a 7-1 lead with a rocket from the right point that went over the right shoulder of goaltender Nick Deery at 12:36 of the third period. The goal was Hutton’s 2nd of the season.
The final goal of the night came off the stick of Eric Purcell who picked up his second of the period putting the IceRays out to an 8-1 lead with assists from Mike Economos and Ryan Chiasson at 16:28 of the third.
Ben Myers stopped 25 of 26 shots in the win including denying Ben Campbell on a penalty-shot late in regulation.
