Gators Master Checkers 4-2
December 21, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Lafayette LA. Playing their last game before the Christmas break, the Louisiana IceGators received goals from three different blueliners and Nathan Marsters earned the #1 star of the game en route to a 4-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers.
The Gators led 3-1 at the end of the first period as the team registered 3 goals on just 7 shots. New IceGators Right Wing Dan Sullivan scored his first goal of the year at 10:01, pouncing on a Mark Rooneem rebound and putting the puck past Alex Westlund for a 1-0 lead. Max Fortunus followed up 35 seconds later with a wrist shot from the right circle to make the score 2-0. Roger Leonard won the face off in the offensive zone to get the assist. After a Ryan Cuthbert goal at 12:33 cut the lead to one, the Gators regained their two goal lead with only 1:37 left in the period. Another face off win, this time by Pascal Pelletier, the puck wound up at the left point on the stick of rookie Troy Smith who fired a wrist shot home for his first pro goal and a 3-1 Louisiana lead after one period of play.
The 2nd period was dominated by Charlotte as the Checkers outshot the Gators 16-7 in the period. The only goal of the period coming at 6:44 as Eduard Pershin scored on a 2 on 1, his 10th goal of the season. Louisiana goalie Nathan Marsters was the only reason the Gators lead after 40 minutes as he stopped 15 shots in the period.
The only goal of the 3rd period came on end to end rush by Randy Dagenais. The D-man taking the the puck inside his own blue line, rushing down the right side and beating Westlund with a backhander to make the score 4-2. It was Dagenais 4th goal of the year. With the win, Louisiana ups the record to 13-9-3 (29 points) and 4th place in the South Division. Louisiana was out shot by Charlotte 32-24. Louisiana was 1-4 on the power play, Charlotte 0-3..After the game the IceGators announced that rookie winger Mark rooneem has been recalled to the Houston Aeros. For the 21 year old from Hinton, Alberta, it is his first call up to the AHL.
Coming Up-
Sunday, December 26 vs. Pensacola Ice Pilots This will be the 6th meeting of the season in what is becoming one of the fiercest rivalries in the ECHL. Louisiana is 2-2-1 vs. the Pilots and ex-coach Dave Farrish. Last weekends home and home series provided some of the most emotional hockey of the season as the Gators rebounded from a Saturday loss in Pensacola with a 2-1 victory at home. Jake Ortmeyer and Wes Mason scoring power play goals for the Gators as rookie Nathan Marsters won his 7th game of the season. This game was heated from the start as in the 1st period, things got wild as a series of battles led to 3 altercations and 2 game misconducts. The biggest of the fights involved the Gators Shawn Skiehar and Pilots Cam Keith brawling on the Louisiana bench resulting in game misconducts for both. Total penalty minutes for the period were 38 minutes for Pensacola and 30 for Louisiana. Appropriately, December 26 in Canada is known as Boxing Day.
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