Corpus Christi, TX (FEB 26, 2016) – Dean Shatzer (11-15-3) stopped 46 IceRays shots, and the Odessa Jackalopes (25-27-4) scored three times on the power play to top the Corpus Christi IceRays (23-27-6), 3-2, Saturday night at AmericanBank Centre. The win moves Odessa two points ahead of the Rays for the final South Division playoff spot.
In the 1st, Pierce Pluemer (1) jammed home the opening tally at 9:59 to give the Jacks the lead. Odessa held the advantage for nearly 10 minutes until Brad LeLievre (9) potted his teams first at 19:35 after Brady Crabtree’s rap around found LeLievre’s stick in the high slot.
Odessa went back up by one in the 2nd at 10:26 on the power play when Hampus Sjodahl (35) beat Dryden McKay through the five-hole on a Derek Brown feed. Danny Kiraly (10) then gave Odessa its first two-goal lead at 13:07 and made it 3-for-3 on the power play after walking McKay along the goal line and finishing it of with his forehand. Corpus cut the lead back down to one and made it 3-2 when Mason Krueger (9) beat Dean Shatzer on a backhand in the slot at 15:16.
In the third, the Jacks hunkered down defensively and held off the Rays to earn the 3-2 win and weekend sweep. The Jacks end the 12-game season series against Corpus by going 6-4-2 and 4-1-1 at AmericanBank Centre.
Dryden McKay (13-13-2) suffered his second loss in as many nights stopping 28 of 31 shots.
The Odessa Jackalopes are in their fifth season in the North American Hockey League in 2015-16 and 19th in the Permian Basin. April 1,2,8 and 9 tickets are on sale now. To reserve your seats, contact the Jackalopes’ ticket office today at 432-552-7825 or log on to www.jackalopes.org for more information.
Be sure to follow the Jackalopes on Twitter @LetsGoJacks all year long and don’t forget to ‘Like’ the official “Odessa Jackalopes” fan page on Facebook.
