Bees happily accept ugly win
HIDALGO – No, the formula probably isn’t one the Killer Bees should try repeating. But at least on Saturday it was enough for a much-needed 5-4 shootout win over the Texas Brahmas.
The Bees jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 4:24 into the game but watched Chad Woollard score a natural hat trick to put Texas ahead 3-2 with 16:24 left in the second period. After Bees center Phillip Ischi tied the game 1:07 later, Texas took a 4-3 lead after 20 more seconds when Adam Hogg beat Wylie Rogers, sending the Bees goalie to the bench.
Instead of wilting like they did in a bad 4-1 loss Friday to Wichita, the Bees managed to stay in the game and eventually tie it with 9:02 remaining in the third when Kirill Startsev re-directed a Craig Lineker shot to tie the game.
“The thing I liked about the game is when we tied the game we didn’t sit back. We kept going at them,” Bees coach Terry Ruskowski said. “That’s something I want to emphasize. Don’t be on your heels, be on your toes. And we did that.”
Aaron Lee then scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the Bees the win and pull them to within three of Tulsa for fourth place in the Berry Conference.
The Bees admitted after the game surrendering a two-goal lead, a natural hat trick and four scores against a team they hadn’t gotten more than three against before probably won’t work most nights. Though, considering how things had been going before Saturday, the Bees were more than happy to win how they did.
“We had a little bit of a streak there we needed to change,” said Ischi, who finished with a plus-4 rating. “It’s nice to be off the slide here and win.”
The win should at least relieve a bit of the pressure that began to build up after Friday. The Bees are just .500 at 19-19-6 and not where they want to be, but at least they have a win and something positive to build off of.
“The win’s huge and gives everyone a little confidence,” Ischi said. “Everybody’s spirits are a little bit higher now that we know we can score some goals. We just need to fix the little things and start getting some (wins).”
Even if they come the way Saturday’s did.
ICING: Defenseman Georgi Petrov was scratched, leaving the Bees with 15 skaters and five defensemen. … John Murray had 15 saves in relief of Rogers and stopped all five Brahmas shootout attempts. … Before Saturday, Texas (20-17-8) lost its last two games by a combined 7-0 and had just five goals in its last five games.
Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via email at bsandalow@themonitor.com.
Saturday’s Game
KILLER BEES 5, BRAHMAS 4, SO
TEX 2 2 0 0 — 4
RGV 2 1 1 1 — 5
RGV wins shootout 1-0
First period — 1, RGV, Pearson 10 (Ischi, Hauswirth) 1:59; 2, RGV, Rioux 4 (Dixon, Hauswirth) 4:24; 3, TEX, Woollard 16 (TJ Fox) 4:56; 4, TEX, Woollard 17 (TJ Fox) 13:23. Penalties — Phil Fox, TEX (high-sticking) 8:35.
Second period — 5, TEX, Woollard 18 (unassisted) 3:36; 6, RGV, Ischi 2 (Wilson) 4:43; 7, TEX, Hogg 12 (Eskedjian) 5:03. Penalties — Klempa, RGV (roughing) 4:13; Wild, TEX (roughing) 4:13; Wild, TEX (tripping) 10:03; Hogg, TEX (slashing) 11:58; Bernhardt, RGV (tripping) 16:34.
Third period — 8, RGV, Startsev 1 (Lineker, Wilson) 10:58. Penalties — Eskedjian, TEX (hooking) 5:12; Lee, RGV (roughing) 17:34; Hogg, TEX (roughing) 17:34.
Overtime — 9, RGV, Lee 20 (shootout). Penalties — None.
Power-play opportunities: Texas: 0 of 1; RGV: 0 of 4.
Shots — Texas: 8-12-8-0-0--28; RGV: 8-8-6-4-1--27.
Goalies — Texas: Mark Guggenberger 9-4-3 (26 shots, 22 saves); RGV: Wylie Rogers (13 shots, 9 saves); John Murray 10-10-1 (15 shots, 15 saves).
A — 3,188 T — 2:35
Referee — Steve Cruickshank Linesmen — Aaron Chockla, Brad Duncan
