\'Gators get four points, lead Southwest by four

February 3, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: LA 3, FLA 1;

FLA 6, LA 5 (OT); BR 5, LA 4 (OT)

Louisiana picked up four of a possible six points this week to stay four points up on Arkansas for first place in the Southwest Division. The IceGators are now 4-1-2 in their last seven heading into the final two months of the season.

Sunday, Jason Norrie scored with 2:12 left in overtime to lift the slumping Baton Rouge Kingfish to a 5-4 victory over the Louisiana IceGators at the Cajundome. Marquis Mathieu scored twice and added an assist, and Niklas Sundberg made 42 saves for the Kingfish, who snapped an eight-game winless skid (0-7-1).

Shawn McNeil, Rod Sarich, Shawn Skiehar and Chris Taliercio each scored for the IceGators, who rallied from a two-goal deficit and still have just one regulation loss in their last seven. Kyle Kettles made his 11th straight start, tying the IceGators' franchise record, and made 24 saves.

Saturday, the IceGators finished off a two-game set with Florida at the Cajundome with a hard-fought, 6-5 overtime loss. Kevin Brown capped off a four-point night with the game-winner 45 seconds into the extra session for Florida, while Frenchman Laurent Meunier scored a pair of goals.

Bobby Brown matched his career-high with four points (2g, 2a) and Daniel Goneau added two goals and an assist for the IceGators, who had just two power plays while allowing nine in a 46-minute stretch spanning all three periods.

The teams combined for 149 minutes of penalties, 78 by Louisiana.

Kettles was the story on Friday, bettering a nearly six-year-old franchise mark with 51 saves in a 3-1 win over the Everblades. Nathan Rempel scored twice and McNeil added a goal and an assist to support Kettles.

Kettles made 20 saves in the first period, 17 in the second and 14 in the final third period, eclipsing a record that stood for nearly six years. Marc Delorme held the previous mark, making 49 saves on March 12, 1997 against Pensacola, a game in which his team posted a 3-2 victory.

George Awada scored for the Everblades and Rob Zepp turned aside eight-of-10 shots before being pulled for Florida.

In the community - The IceGators will be all over Acadiana this week, starting this morning with Kyle Kettles and Louis Mass, who will visit two schools in Iberia Parish as part of the "Nickel Harvest Campaign." Tuesday, Rod Sarich will read to second-graders at Breaux Bridge Elementary School, and Wednesday, two players will visit Delcambre High as part of the "Nickel Harvest Campaign."

Coming attractions:

FRI, LA @ BR

7:05 p.m.

The IceGators failed to pick up their fourth straight win against the Kingfish on Sunday, and the two teams have just five days until the next meeting. Baton Rouge has earned two wins on home ice against Louisiana this season.

SAT, LA @ PEN

7:05 p.m.

The red-hot Ice Pilots are surging through the Southwest Division standings. Louisiana is winless in three games in Pensacola this season (0-2-1), getting outscored by a 15-5 combined margin.

SUN, LA vs. PEN

4:05 p.m.

The IceGators and Ice Pilots make the five-hour return trip to complete a home-and-home with an afternoon game for the second time in three weekends. Louisiana has won both games against the Ice Pilots at the Cajundome this season.

In first place, and magic # decreasing - Louisiana, with 64 points, holds a four-point edge over Arkansas for first place in the Southwest Division, while Pensacola has moved into third place with 57 points. Mississippi, currently winless through four games of a seven-game road trip, is fourth with 56, while Jackson is fifth with 53. The IceGators' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 18 points - a combination of their points and losses by Baton Rouge. The Kingfish could still accumulate 81 points.

Kettles at franchise record for consecutive starts - Rookie Kyle Kettles has tied the IceGators' franchise mark with his 11th straight start. Kettles is tied with Marc Delorme's 11-game run from February 19-March 13, 1996. The longest streak this season by an ECHL netminder is 13, set by two players, most recently Columbia's Josh Blackburn from November 22-December 20. Kettles last had a break January 3, when Frederic Cloutier lost 5-2 in Arkansas.

Back to the Southwest grind - The IceGators had a break from the Southwest Division with games against Florida on Friday and Saturday, but now they're back to facing their Southwest brethren. Starting yesterday, Louisiana plays Baton Rouge and Pensacola for its next six games, facing off with each team three times. The IceGators' next non Baton Rouge of Pensacola opponent will be Mississippi on February 16, and they then play three days later against Pensacola.

OT mark set to be broken - With 24 games left, the IceGators need to play in just one more overtime or shootout game to break their franchise record of 18. The IceGators are 5-6 in overtime games and 3-4 in games decided in a shootout. Louisiana is 5-4 after regulation at home but just 3-6 on the road. The IceGators also played 18 overtime/shootout games in 1999-2000. Louisiana isn't that far from the ECHL record. Toledo's 25 overtime games is the league record (1995-96), while three teams are tied for second with 21. The next most overtime games is 20, set by several teams, including Dayton in 1999-2000.

Giving the fans their money's worth - Six of the IceGators' last seven home games have been decided by one goal, with the team going 4-1-2 in that span. Louisiana has 28 one-goal decisions overall, second in the ECHL.

McNeil clutch - Shawn McNeil has 28 goals this season - just eight off his career best - and 23 of those tallies have either given the IceGators the lead or tied the game. McNeil also leads Louisiana with four extra attacker goals this season.

Better starts needed - The IceGators have held the lead after one period just twice in their last nine games, and only three times in their last nine home games.

Go ahead, blow that whistle - Killing penalties isn't always bad for Louisiana. The IceGators are 5-0-1 when allowing 10 or more power play attempts, including a perfect 4-0-0 mark at home.

Finishing strong - Louisiana just completed its ninth set of three games in three nights, and the IceGators have picked up at least a point in all but one of the finales (5-1-3).

Player of the Week Nominees

Forward Bobby Brown -

Picked up five points (2g, 3a) in leading IceGators to unbeaten in regulation 1-0-2 mark last week...Tied career-best with four points (2g, 2a) in 6-5 overtime loss to Florida on Saturday...Added an assist in 5-4 overtime loss to Baton Rouge on Sunday...One point away from 200 in ECHL career...Fourth on team with 48 points (21g, 27a), and his 27 assists are tied for fourth on the team...Has seven power-play goals, third on IceGators.

Goaltender Kyle Kettles -

Went unbeaten in regulation at 1-0-2 with a 3.92 goals against average and a .902 save percentage...Stopped franchise-record 51 shots, 12 better than his career-best, in 3-1 win over Florida on Friday...Made 35 saves in 6-5 overtime loss to the Everblades on Saturday...Sunday, turned aside 24 shots in 5-4 overtime loss to Baton Rouge...Has tied an IceGators' franchise record with 11 consecutive starts in net.

IceGators' Practice schedule:

Monday - Off

Tuesday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Wednesday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Thursday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Friday - 10-11, HockeyPlex

at BR 7:05 (bus at 4)

Saturday - pre-game skate in PEN

at PEN 7:05

Sunday - vs. PEN 4:05

Don't forget to watch Chomp Time, the weekly television show dedicated to the Louisiana IceGators.

Andy Davis hosts Chomp Time, every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on Fox-15.

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

Jersey auction - The Boy Scout commemorative jerseys from Saturday night will be auctioned off on www.icegators.com starting Tuesday. The auction will run through Wednesday, February 26 at noon central time (not February 21 as previously announced), and remember, the purchase after the first $100 is tax deductible. All jerseys will be autographed.



ECHL Stories from February 3, 2003


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