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Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Fall in Weekend Finale

March 9, 2014 - SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, Miss. -- Jeff Grant tallied a hat trick as the Mississippi RiverKings (27-20-4) fell to the Louisiana IceGators (31-17-3) in Louisiana 7-3 in the final meeting between the two teams this season.

The first period featured much neutral-zone play as each team tallied a goal on the rush. Jeremy Boyer's backhand beat Dan McWhinney 3:18 into the first to put Louisiana on top 1-0. But the RiverKings came back with a goal of their own. Matt Whitehead's wrist shot deflected off an IceGator stick and over Kiefer Smiley to tie the game at one 12:57 into the period to tie the game at one.

The "˜Gators offense opened up for a pair of goals to start the second period. Jeff Grant scored his first goal of the game just 2:36 into the frame on a point-blank shot that beat McWhinney to give Louisiana a 2-1 lead. Just over two minutes later, Jordan Braid forced a turnover in the RiverKings side of the redline and found the back of the net to put the "˜Gators ahead by two.

The teams combined for three goals in under three minutes near the midway point of the second. Todd Hosmer's slap shot blew by the glove of Smiley on the power play to cut the deficit to one. But Louisiana game right back on Grant's second of the game before Kirk Byczynski jarred the puck free from under McWhinney and across the goal-line to give the IceGators a 5-2 lead going into the third period.

The third period started much like the second ended. Grant found the back of the net just 4:07 into the period for the hat trick goal. Brett Peppler added the IceGator's seventh of the game unassisted 17:13 into the third period. Phil Bronner's redirect in front of Smiley with just 37 seconds remaining beat the "˜Gator netminder, but the RiverKings fell 7-3 to Louisiana.

Dan McWhinney (12-9-1) stopped 19 of 26 shots against in the loss. Kiefer Smiley (17-10-2) took the win after stopping 30 of 33 shots against.

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