Corpus Christi: The Wranglers earned their fourth road sweep of the season with a 5-to-1 win Friday night over the Ice Rays. Amarillo will have a few extra days before their next series against the Lone Star Brahams at the Budweiser Bullpen.
The game would have much more of a physical edge leading to a violent collision at center ice as Cole Helm would be assessed a game misconduct and five-minute major for a hit to the head of Kristaps Skrastins. The Wranglers would get to work and score on the ensuing man advantage when Nikolas Campbell buried a good set-up pass from Glebs Prohorenkovs to open the scoring at 13:15 of the game.
The Wranglers would strike just moments later on another power-play when Skrastins took a shot that deflected off of Aidan Carney, who would collect his second goal of the season to give Amarillo a 2-to-0 lead. Max Gutjahr would stop all 13 shots faced in the opening period.
The Ice Rays would cut the lead in half at the 3:36 mark of the second period when Dom Foglia would sneak a wrist shot past Gutjahr to send teddy bears onto the ice for Corpus’ first goal of the game. Amarillo would answer halfway through the period as Skrastins dashed into the Ice Rays zone, put a shot on goal when Prohorenkovs would tuck home the rebound to regain the two-goal lead.
Dominic Schimizzi would put his name on the scoresheet later in the period when he buried a rebound chance after Ben Biester went to work on the forecheck and took the initial shot. The Ice Rays would throw 17 shots at Gutjahr in the second but would find themselves down 4-to-1 after two periods of play.
The Wranglers would continue to shut down the Ice Rays offense with the help of Gutjahr in the third period. Prohorenkovs would get his second goal of the night when he tallied an empty-net goal in the final moments to secure a 5-to-1 win for the Wranglers.
Goaltender Max Gutjahr would improve to 16-and-5 on the season following a 42-save performance on Friday night. Prohorenkovs wrapped up a six-point series against the Ice Rays with two goals and two assists as he now has 26 points on the season.
The Wranglers are now 18-and-7 on the year and will return to the Budweiser Bullpen to host the Lone Star Brahmas (12-7-4-2) next Saturday and Sunday for the first “Weekend of Giving.” Saturday night fans are encouraged to bring toy donations to throw on the ice after the first Wranglers goal for the ‘teddy bear toss.’ Sunday afternoon, fans are asked to bring sock and underwear donations as the Wranglers continue to give back to the community in their inaugural season.