CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Brahmas are well and truly in the home stretch of their schedule.
All three of those remaining games are against Corpus Christi, and with the way the standings are looking, it’s entirely possible that the Brahmas and IceRays will face off in the first round of the playoffs. With the first round being a best of five, the two teams could play up to eight straight games against each other.
However, the Brahmas aren’t looking that far ahead quite yet. For now, there are games on Thursday and Friday that are the primary focus.
The Brahmas currently hold the advantage in the season series, posting a 5-3-0 record in the teams’ eight previous games. However, the IceRays and Brahmas have split their weekend series in the last three meetings.
After a stretch of .500 hockey, the Brahmas look to be back on track, with three straight wins and points in their last five games. Forwards Julian Biondo and Austin Kamer will both be eligible to return to the lineup during this series against the IceRays, which should provide a further boost to the Brahmas.
Biondo can return on Thursday, while Kamer can rejoin the ranks on Friday.
It remains to be seen whether Head Coach Dan Wildfong will choose to give time off to some of the Brahmas ahead of the postseason, especially with the top spot in the division locked up.
Corpus Christi has cooled down of late, going 4-2-4 in their last ten games. They are currently deadlocked with Wichita Falls in the standings with 64 points, and they’ll be looking to gain ground this weekend.
Both Brahmas goaltenders are coming off of strong performances this weekend. While the Lone Star defense suppressed shots against as usual, allowing only 18 on Friday and 20 on Saturday, Max Prawdzik and Alec Calvaruso were sharp when needed. Prawdzik picked up the win with 16 saves on Friday, and Calvaruso did the same with 19 saves on Saturday.
Lone Star’s offense is clicking, too. Saturday’s game was particularly encouraging, with well-rounded scoring that included a goal from each line. The Brahmas will be looking to continue that trend, as depth scoring is one of the keys to the team’s success.
Friday and Saturday’s games are both scheduled for a 7:05 PM puck drop. Both games will be streamed on HockeyTV.