IceRays Punch Ticket to South Division Finals
by Joey Erickson (via goicerays.com)
The IceRays celebrate their series win. Photo credits: Luke Markert
Shreveport 0 @ Corpus Christi 3 (Corpus Christi wins South Division Semifinals 3-0): The Corpus Christi IceRays shutout the Shreveport Mudbugs in a series clinching 3-0 victory on Monday night at the American Bank Center. Benji Motew's shutout was the first shutout on home ice in IceRays postseason history.
The IceRays and Mudbugs played seven continuous minutes to open the game, and the first stoppage of play came on a goal from Michael Valdez to give the IceRays a 1-0 lead early in game three. Matthew Green setup Valdez from behind the net with a back hand pass that Valdez chopped behind Mudbugs Goalie Nikola Goich. Just over a minute and a half later Colin Watson found Carter Krenke with a pass slicing through the slot and Krenke did the rest to double the IceRays lead in the first half of the period. Corpus Christi found themselves in trouble late in the period after two overlapping penalties giving Shreveport a lengthy two-man advantage that they survived with timely saves from Goalie Benji Motew.
Corpus Christi thought they extended their lead with a goal from Andrew Hayek halfway through the 2nd period, but it was taken off the board for Goaltender Interference. They wouldn't stop the IceRays from staying on the hunt and few moments later Troy Pelton ripped a shot from the high slot past Goich to give the IceRays a 3-0 lead with less than half a game left. Despite being outshot in the contest the IceRays held on to a three-goal advantage with one period remaining.
Shreveport spent the final 20 minutes looking for an answer to the puzzle of Motew who would not budge. The Mudbugs pulled Goich with under five minutes to play as they outshot Corpus Christi 15 to 3 in the frame. Motew made all 15 saves to down the stretch to pitch a shutout for the first time as an IceRay with a total of 30 saves. The IceRays completed the sweep of the Mudbugs with a 3-0 win and advance to the South Division Finals for the first time since 2017.
