The Amarillo Wranglers endured a tough road weekend, getting swept by South Division rival Corpus Christi as the IceRays claimed victories by scores of 4–2 and 6–3. The results were a missed opportunity for a Wranglers team searching for consistency as the calendar turns to 2026.
Amarillo opens the new year with a 14–17–0–1 record, good for 29 points and eighth place in the standings. While the season is far from over, points are becoming increasingly valuable as the Wranglers try to climb back into the playoff picture.
The good news is that Amarillo now returns home for a three-game homestand at the Budweiser Bullpen. The Wranglers will host Lone Star on Friday and Saturday before wrapping up the weekend against Odessa on Sunday, giving them a chance to regroup in front of their home crowd.
Friday’s Game Recap
Coming off a split with the El Paso Rhinos, the Wranglers entered Friday’s matchup hoping to build momentum and pick up much-needed points. The opening period featured strong goaltending at both ends, with neither team able to break through during a scoreless first 20 minutes.
Corpus Christi struck quickly to start the second period, as Justin Thibault capitalized on a fortunate bounce less than 30 seconds in to give the IceRays a 1–0 lead. Amarillo responded almost immediately. The Wranglers’ import line of Kirill Evstigneev, Danylo Dolin, and Igor Petrov connected on a well-executed passing sequence that resulted in Evstigneev finding the back of the net, tying the game at 1–1 within a minute.
The tie did not last long, as Corpus Christi regained the lead later in the period when Islom Dzhabberganov converted a scoring chance to make it 2–1 heading into the final intermission.
With a lively crowd backing them in the third period, the IceRays extended their lead at the 14:32 mark when Andrej Paricka scored to make it a two-goal game. Amarillo showed resilience midway through the period as center Ty Izadi, one of the hottest scorers in the division, netted his 11th goal of the season to pull the Wranglers within one. Any comeback hopes were dashed late, however, when Johnny Maruna scored his 10th goal of the season to seal a 4–2 Corpus Christi victory.
Saturday’s Game Recap
Saturday games have been a challenge for Amarillo this season, with only two wins across November and December. The Wranglers entered the night determined to change that trend, but Corpus Christi had other plans.
The IceRays opened the scoring late in the first period as Andrej Paricka found the net at the 14:46 mark to give the home team a 1–0 lead. Amarillo answered three minutes later when Jack Thornton finished a high shot to even the score at 1–1. The teams headed to the first intermission tied, with momentum still up for grabs.
The second period proved costly for the Wranglers. Defensive breakdowns allowed Corpus Christi to score twice, including a shorthanded goal, pushing the IceRays ahead 3–1 heading into the third.
Corpus Christi struck again early in the final period on the power play, with Johnny Maruna scoring his second goal of the weekend to extend the lead to 4–1. Amarillo continued to battle, as Caden Hegarty scored his sixth goal of the season to make it 4–2. Shortly after, Izadi brought the Wranglers within one by blasting a shot off the crossbar and in, cutting the deficit to 4–3 and briefly shifting momentum.
In a bold move, first-year head coach Michael Hill pulled goaltender Charles Antoine Girard with just over two minutes remaining. The gamble did not pay off, as Corpus Christi capitalized with two empty-net goals in the final 70 seconds to secure a 6–3 win and complete the weekend sweep.
Looking Ahead
The weekend highlighted both the Wranglers’ offensive potential and their ongoing defensive challenges. While Amarillo showed fight and timely scoring, breakdowns and special teams issues proved costly against a disciplined Corpus Christi squad.
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