The Odessa Jackalopes dropped the second game of the weekend to the IceRays by a final score of 4-3.
The Jacks would actually score the 1st goal of the game this time. A beautiful shot in the near faceoff circle from forward Tommy Wright as he wristed one post and in, blocker side on Bryant Marks, making it a 1-0 score in favor of the Jacks. The IceRays would go on to score two goals in a span of 49 seconds to take the lead in the 1st period. Then with just over two minutes remaining in the 1st period, the IceRays would score once again to extend their lead to 3-1 going into the 1st intermission.
The 2nd period saw dominance from the Jacks as they outshot the IceRays 19-5. Midway through the 3rd period, defenseman Trevor Mitchell moved up on the play to the right wing, received a pass, and rocketed one home blocker side, cutting the IceRays lead to one. The Jacks weren’t done there as Michael Kadlecik shifted around a couple of defenders into the near faceoff circle, sent one toward the crease, and Cameron Dunn kept his stick on the ice and deflected it, in the back of the net tying the game at three. The Jacks would be called for a penalty in the dying minutes of the 2nd period, and it would take the IceRays just three seconds to score on the PP and regain their one goal lead, which they would take into the 3rd period.
The 3rd period saw chances for both teams on both ends of the ice, but things would get interesting in the final couple of minutes. With just over two minutes to play, Jacks defenseman John Wojciechowski would get his helmet knocked off by a cross check, no call would be made on the play, however, just 20 seconds later, Adam Armijo would go to the box for cross checking on a play in the offensive zone as he delivered a hit on an IceRays player. This was crucial in the game as since the Jacks needed to pull the goalie following the penalty, they wouldn’t have the 6 on 5 advantage in the game, it would just be a normal 5 on 5 for the last 90 seconds of the game. The Jacks put pucks toward the net, but were unable to find the back of the net, and Corpus Christi would skate away with the two points.
The Jacks fall to 13-14-4 (30 pts) and the next Jacks game is Sunday, December 31st, as the Jacks take on the Lone Star Brahmas.
This game will be broadcast to NAHLTV with an audio only version available on the Odessa Jackalopes YouTube page.