Jackalopes (23-27-4) vs. IceRays (23-25-6)
Head to head
All-Time vs. COR: 18-30-6
2015-16: 4-4-2
In COR: 2-1-1
One-Goal Games: 3-1-2
Overtime Games: 1-2-0
Shootout Games: 1-0-0
Jacks Overall Road Record: 10-17-1
Tonight’s Matchup: The Odessa Jackalopes travel to AmericanBank Center to face the Corpus Christi IceRays for the final two regular-season matchups of the year between the clubs. With six games remaining for each team in the regular season and two points separating one another the weekend will serve as a potential deciding factor on who makes the post-season in the final Southern Division spot.
Last Time Out: The Odessa Jackalopes ended a three-game road trip in Topeka gong 1-2-0 after a tough 7-2 loss Sunday night. Hampus Sjodahl gave Odessa an opening period lead in the rubber match at 8:04. Quinn Preston countered late in the 1st to tie the game 1-1 at 18:56. Pierce Pluemer recaptured the Jacks advantage at 5:50 of the 2nd before Topeka exploded for a six unanswered goals including four in the 3rd to earn the 7-2 win. Jon Flakne took the loss making 25 saves on 32 shots. Tyler Johnson earned the victory stopping 27 of 29 shots.
Sizzling Sjodahl: Jacks center-man Hampus Sjodahl scored for the fourth-straight game Sunday and now has seven goals in his last five games. The Bemidji State (WCHA, D1) committed forward is second in the NAHL in goals (33), only behind Fairbanks’ Todd Burgess, and tied for third in points (63) in the NAHL. Sjodahl has points in 15 of his last 16 games (15-9-23) with a plus-six rating.
What Can Brown Do For You?: Jacks left-wing Derek Brown had another assist in Sunday’s game against Topeka and now has points in 20 of his last 21 games (8-23-31). Brown has 44 assist this year, which is a single-season franchise record for the the Jacks, surpassing Kenny Hausinger’s 43 set last season. The Peoria, AZ native is sixth in the NAHL in points (56) and his 16-game point streak he set earlier this year is both a league long and a franchise record.
Piercing Hot: Jacks left-wing Pierce Pluemer was Saturday’s hero scoring with less than a minute remaining in regulation to earn the Jacks a 4-3 win. The Air Force commit (Atlantic Hockey, D1) potted another goal Sunday and now has four goals in his last five games and seven in goals in last 13 games after beginning his Jacks career with zero goals in his first 17.
Clutch Kircher: IceRays forward Tobias Kircher scored a dramatic overtime winner with one second remaining in extra time to secure both points against Lone Star at NYTEX Sports Centre last Saturday. Kircher has goals in back-to-back games after not scoring for 22 straight. The Manheim, GER native has eight goals and eight assists in 44 games with Corpus and a plus-11 rating after appearing in seven games with the Aston Rebels to begin the year where he had one goal and two assists with a minus-one rating.
Evenly Matched: Six of the 10 previous matchups between the Jacks and Rays have been decided by just one goal, including 4-of-6 needing either overtime or a shootout.
Jackalopes Broadcast: Join the voice of the Jacks’ Nick Nollenberger live for every game on the Jacks flagship station Classic Rock 102.1 FM and fasthockey.com.
