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\'Gators finish 0-2-1 for week

November 4, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: CBS 4, LA 3 (SO); CBS 4, LA 3; MIS 4, LA 3

The IceGators picked up one of six possible points this past weekend, falling three times -- once in a shootout -- by identical 4-3 margins. Louisiana started the week with a shootout loss in Columbus, failing to hold a two-goal lead in the third period, and Saturday a three-goal deficit was too much to overtime.

Sunday, the IceGators once again gave up an early goal but came back to take a 2-1 lead, before three straight goals in the second period by the Sea Wolves clinched the victory.

Mike Scott and Dave Paradise scored 31 seconds apart in the second period and Steffon Walby added his second shorthanded score in as many nights later in the stanza for what proved to be the game-winner, as the Sea Wolves downed the IceGators, 4-3, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

Greg Gardner made 36 saves and Jim Baxter also scored for Mississippi, which finished the week two points in front of Arkansas and three points ahead of the IceGators for first place in the Southwest Division.

Shawn McNeil, Bruce Richardson and Kevin Mitchell each scored for Louisiana, which is 0-3-1 in its last four road games and is in danger of losing three straight road games in regulation for just the sixth time in franchise history. Frederic Cloutier made 25 saves to fall to 5-1-1.

The IceGators' four-game road winless streak ties the second-longest such streak in team history, last accomplished from January 4-13, 2001, another 0-3-1 streak. The only time that Louisiana was winless on the road in more than four games was in 1996-97, when the team had to forfeit games for rules violations. The IceGators last lost three straight road games from February 1-16, 2001.

Saturday, Dennis Shiryaev and Bobby Brown each scored third-period goals, but a three-goal deficit was too much to overcome as the IceGators dropped a 4-3 decision in Columbus. Nathan Rempel also scored and Kyle Kettles made 22 saves for Louisiana.

Sean McAslin, who scored the game-winner in the shootout in Friday's 4-3 Columbus win, scored what proved to be the game-winner on a 5-on-3 at the 17:36 mark of the second period. Mike Morrison was outstanding for a second straight night for the Cottonmouths, making 29 saves, including 11 in a frantic third period that saw him allow two goals.

McAslin's shootout goal, his second score of the night, ruined two points by each Nathan Rempel (1g, 1a) and Bobby Brown (2a) Friday night in a 4-3 Columbus victory. Kenny Corupe added a goal against his former team and Frederic Cloutier made a season-high 36 saves for the IceGators, who held a two-goal lead with less than nine minutes remaining.

Coming attractions:

THU, LA vs. ARK, 7:05 p.m.
The IceGators and RiverBlades meet in the makeup game of the originally-scheduled home opener on Oct. 13, postponed due to Hurricane Lili. Louisiana already has two wins over the RiverBlades this season.

SAT, LA at ARK, 7:00 p.m.
Louisiana and Arkansas finish off a home-and-home after a day off with a game at Alltel Arena.

SUN, LA vs. GRV, 4:05 p.m.
"Sportsman's Paradise", Tailgating starts at 1 Duck season opens Saturday, and what better way to celebrate than Sportsman's Paradise on Sunday. The IceGators will be wearing camouflage jerseys (yes, with the bright orange numbers) to be auctioned off at Bennigan's after the game for charity. Anyone wearing camouflage to the box office the night of the game will get a $5.75 third-level ticket. Also, the IceGators are asking their fans to bring duck calls to welcome the Grrrowl to South Louisiana. Greenville won the Kelly Cup last season. Tailgating (1 p.m. start) is new and improved this season, including live music.

Since 00-01 season, McNeil has more ECHL goals than anyone - IceGators fans will be happy to know that left wing Shawn McNeil has more goals than any other ECHL player since the beginning of the 2000-01 season. McNeil has 78 goals since then, four more than Dany Bousquet (now playing in Europe) and five more than former teammate Jay Murphy, now on injured reserve with Greensboro. Eric Schneider (now with CHL Laredo) has 71, and Dean Tiltgen (now with WCHL San Diego) has 70 to round out the top five. The closest challenger, other than Murphy, that currently plays in the ECHL is Dayton's Andrew Williamson, who is sixth with 67 goals. McNeil is gunning for his third straight 30-goal season. Only McNeil, Tiltgen, Murphy, Bosquet and Hugues Gervais have 30 goals in the ECHL each of the last two seasons. With Tiltgen, Gervais and Bosquet playing elsewhere, only McNeil and Murphy are eligible to keep the streak going. Murphy has three straight 30-goal seasons.

More McNeil tidbits - Shawn McNeil's goal and assist Sunday gave him a 10-game point streak to open the season, with 17 points (10g, 7a) in that span. McNeil, who leads the ECHL with 10 goals, is two games shy of the longest point streak of his career, a 12-game stretch from January 19-February 16, 2001. More impressively, McNeil has a point in each of his last 17 regular-season games, dating back to last season. He has 26 points (15g, 11a) in that span.

Another rookie off to a hot start - With Chris Taliercio's five-goal start, not much had been said about rookie defenseman Rod Sarich, who is starting to heat up. Sarich has one assist in each of his last four games and five overall in 10 contests.

Penalties, penalties - Defenseman Kevin Mitchell has a point in all but one game, and he also leads the ECHL with 18 minor penalties, having picked up one in every game.

Reading with the ‘Gators - Today, IceGators defenseman Jeff Worlton will be visiting second graders at Vermilion Elementary in the first installment of the Reading with the ‘Gators program. The reading program is a fun way to give the children a great reason to read. Each second grader will receive a laminated autographed bookmark. Each school will set its own rules, and the overall winner at each school will receive two adult and two child tickets to a home game. As a special treat, the winner will have an IceGator read their favorite book to his or her class.

Better starts needed, especially on the road - Louisiana has failed to score first in each of its six road games this season, and in four straight road games has yielded a goal in the first 1:11 of the contest. The IceGators failed to score first in just 19 games last season, going 9-8-2 in those contests.

Unfamiliar territory - The IceGators, who are in third place but just three points behind Mississippi for first, haven't been out of first place in the division this late in the season since December 20, 2000, nearly two full seasons ago. Louisiana woke up on that December morning trailing Mobile by one point.

"IceGators Idol" gearing up - The IceGators are hoping to help dreams come true by bringing the best of area high school choir students to the Cajundome to open an IceGators home game with the National Anthem in "IceGators Idol." A different student will sing each game, and at each of these games the crowd will grade the nominees' performances and all ballots will be graded on a percentage basis. After the last nominee has sung, the votes will be counted and a winner determined. The winner will then sing again and be awarded with great gifts donated by local sponsors.

Player of the Week Nominees

Left wing Shawn McNeil - Fourth-year winger is arguably the hottest player in the ECHL, as his 10-game point streak is the longest in the league this season...Had four points (2g, 2a) this week as IceGators went 0-2-1...Scored goal in 4-3 shootout loss at Columbus on Friday...Chipped in an assist in Saturday's 4-3 loss at Columbus...Sunday, had goal and assist in 4-3 loss at Mississippi...Leads ECHL with 10 goals and has five multi-point games.

Goaltender Frederic Cloutier - Went 0-1-1 with a 3.37 goals against average and a .897 save percentage last week...Stopped season-high 36 shots in 4-3 shootout loss at Columbus on Friday, his first non-win of the season...Allowed four goals on 29 shots in 4-3 loss at Mississippi on Sunday, stopping 11 shots in scoreless third period as team almost came back from two-goal deficit...Tied for fifth in ECHL with five victories.

Make sure to follow the IceGators on 105.1 KPEL-FM, and also via the Internet at www.icegators.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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