Rogers adjusting to new role for Bees

HIDALGO — Goalie Wylie Rogers’ start Tuesday night was only his fifth in the Killer Bees’ first 13 games. Unlike last season, when he started six of the Bees’ seven playoff games and led the team in wins with 18, Rogers now looks like their second choice in net behind Andy Franck.

Rogers said what he’s going through early this season is an adjustment.

“It’s tough to do that. When you get in and you play well and then you never know if you’re going to sit a game or two and play again… it’s something you’ve got to feed off your last game. You’re only as good as your last game,” Rogers said. “You have to really focus when you go in and play well.”

In Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to Corpus Christi, Rogers made 25 saves but couldn’t stop Steven Later’s game-winning penalty shot.

“It’s games like this you have to win to separate yourself and make sure you’re getting more games,” Rogers said. “It’s a game like that you have to win.”

With the loss, Rogers fell to 3-2 on the season with 3.62 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. Franck is 3-3-2 with a 3.06 GAA and .911 save percentage.

MORE WEIRDNESS

Tuesday night’s game was decided on Later’s penalty shot that came after Sean Muncy covered the puck in the crease. For most teams, a goal coming in those circumstances would be unusual.

But over the course of the recent IceRays-Bees rivalry, the unusual seems to happen frequently.

During Game 2 of last year’s first-round series, a goal by Bees defenseman Jay Hardwick that would have cut the IceRays’ lead to 4-3 was incorrectly waved off because the goal was knocked off its moorings. After losing the goal, the Bees’ rally lost steam as they went on to lose 6-2.

The teams’ Feb. 28 meeting last year at Dodge Arena ended in controversy. IceRays forward Jereme Tendler was awarded an overtime goal several minutes after his shot, following a lengthy conference between referee Tudor Floru and his linesmen, even though the goal light never went on.

Last season was by no means the start of the weirdness.

In November of 2004, Bees forward Matic Kralj was awarded a goal after the first intermission when his shot, originally ruled not to have been a goal, was instead counted by referee Tudor Floru. The goal tied the game at 2 in what turned out to be a 5-3 Corpus Christi win.

Then in January of that same season, Bill Newson hit the right post on what would have been a game-clinching empty-net goal, leading to the Rayz taking control of the puck and Jason Baird’s game-tying score with 2 seconds left in regulation.  After a scoreless overtime, the Rayz won the shootout to win 3-2.

The 2005-2006 season also had its share of controversy. In March, the Bees’ Jeff Mushaluk was awarded a goal about 20 seconds and one stoppage after his shot was originally ruled to have hit the crossbar in a 5-3 RGV win.

The trend continued in Decmber of the next season, when in a overtime win over the Bees, the Rayz had two apparent goals waved off by referee Paul DePuydt.

ONE IN, ONE ON THE SHELF

The Bees on Wedneday acquired defenseman Jason Seerey from Allen from future considerations. Seerey will take the place of injured captain Stacey Bauman, who was placed on the 14-day injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

“I can’t really go through a six-games in 10-nights stretch with five defensemen,” Bees coach Chris Brooks said. “If we have another defenseman go down in that stretch, we need help here.”

Brooks said Bauman’s injury wasn’t something that happened Tuesday night but had been nagging him for a while.

“He’s been getting sorer and sorer and sorer, and I’d just rather have him suck up six games now than miss 30,” Brooks said. “I’d rather get him healthy so it’s not something he has to play with the rest of the season and hopefully he gets the right care he needs to get him back.”

GETTING WARMER

It took six games for Jesse Bennefield to score his first goal of the season. Since his breakthrough, Bennefield has been held without a goal only three times in the Bees’ last eight games.

Over his last three games, Bennefield has four goals. Overall, Bennefield leads the Bees with 8 goals and is tied with Daymen Rycroft at 17 points.

DULLE LANDS

Former Bees defenseman Kurtis Dulle signed Wednesday with the Allen Americans. Dulle, who on Oct. 21 was traded by the Bees to Colorado for future considerations, spent only four games with the Eagles before getting waived.

Dulle and the Americans make their lone visit to Dodge Arena on Feb. 23.

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