Late penalty shot gives IceRays win over Bees

HIDALGO – Nobody was blaming Sean Muncy for the Killer Bees’ 3-2 loss Tuesday night to Corpus Christi.

With 1:14 left in the third period of a tie game, referee Dan Dreger called Muncy for covering the puck with his hand in the crease, which automatically leads to a penalty shot. The puck came free after Jereme Tendler’s shot, which came after a Nathan Ansell turnover at the Bees’ blue line, squirted away from goalie Wylie Rogers (25 saves).

IceRays defenseman Steven Later then beat Rogers on the ensuing penalty shot to give Corpus Christi (5-5-2) what turned out to be the game-winning goal.

“I kind of panicked and tried to get (the puck) back as quick as I could,” said Muncy, who admitted he did cover the puck briefly. “In hindsight, I would use my stick but I tried to shovel the puck to Wylie so he could cover it up.”

Both Rogers and Bees coach Chris Brooks seemed to be absolving Muncy from any blame for the end of Tuesday’s game. Rogers regretted not stopping Later’s penalty shot while Brooks liked the aggression his rookie forward showed in trying to make the play.

“(Corpus Christi) got the call and I’ve got to bail them out on the penalty shot,” Rogers said. “I didn’t tonight and that was the difference in the game.”

The Bees took a 2-1 lead early in the second on goals by Jesse Bennefield and Aaron Lee. Bennefield’s goal was his fourth in three games while Lee’s was his first of the year.

Corpus Christi tied the game at the 15:39 mark of the second on Justin Quenneville’s fifth of the season, with the game staying tied until Later’s goal.

Brooks said “the loss stings but we played the game you’re supposed to play” and that the Bees are getting closer to what he wants.

“Mistakes happen. You make mistakes every day, I make mistakes every day and it’s a part of life,” Brooks said. “There’s a lot worse things happening to people right now in this world than losing hockey games.”

ICING: Forward Topher Scott did not play Tuesday night. Scott returned from the 14-day injured reserve on Sunday but sat against the IceRays with a different, undisclosed injury. Without him, the Bees played down one man with only 15 skaters. … Suspended IceRays coach Brent Hughes sat in section 104 while general manager Pat Dunn took his place. Hughes was suspended one game and fined $1,000 for his actions during a game Friday night at Arizona.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.

Tuesday’s Game

ICERAYS 3, KILLER BEES 2

CC                             1        1       1    —       3

RGV                           0        2       0    —       2

First period — 1, CC, Woollard 5 (Costello, Richards) 18:30. Penalties — Rycroft, RGV (holding) 4:19; Goeckner-Zoeller, RGV (tripping) 10:10; Costello, CC (hooking) 18:33

Second period —  2, RGV, Bennefield 8 (Goeckner-Zoeller, Rycroft) 6:41; 3, RGV, Lee 1 (Muncy, Harr) 6:40; 4, CC, Quenneville 5 (Bennett, Later) 15:39. Penalties — Bennefield, RGV (hooking) 8:35; Later, CC (hooking) 11:15

Third period — 5, CC, Later 2 (unassisted) 18:46 (penalty shot).  Penalties — Tendler, CC (cross-checking) 9:10; Hardwick, RGV (tripping) 14:32.

Power-play opportunities: Corpus Christi: 0 of 4; RGV: 0 of 3   

Shots — Corpus Christi: 8-13-7--28; RGV: 7-10-12--29  

Goalies — Corpus Christi: Kevin Nastiuk 1-0 (29 shots, 27 saves); RGV: Wylie Rogers 3-2 (28 shots, 25 saves)

A — 3,943  T — 2:15

Referee — Dan Dreger Linesmen —  Jon Shaw, Bill McGoldrick