\'Gators roll to 4-0-0 mark

October 21, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: LA 4, MIS 2; LA 5, BR 3; LA 5, MIS 3

Shawn McNeil and the IceGators have matched their best four-game start in franchise history after winning three games in three nights this weekend. Louisiana was also 4-0-0 in the 2000-01 season. The IceGators went 3-0-1 in their first four games last season, when they skated through the ECHL season with a league-record 56-12-4 mark.

McNeil had two goals in each of the three games over the weekend, giving him 100 in his pro and IceGators career. Sunday, Daniel Goneau also scored two goals for 101 in his North American pro career as the IceGators rallied from an early deficit for a 5-3 win in Mississippi.

Nathan Rempel had a career-high three assists while Cal Benazic and Kevin Mitchell each added two helpers for the IceGators. Kenny Corupe also scored, while Frederic Cloutier made 19 saves and stopped Cody Bowtell's penalty shot attempt to win his third straight start to begin the campaign.

The IceGators are one of three ECHL teams without a loss in regulation. Atlantic City (4-0-0) and South Carolina (3-0-0) are the others. The IceGators' victory Sunday gave them a two-point first-place lead early in the Southwest Division race over Mississippi. The IceGators have won four straight versus Mississippi following an 0-4-1 streak during the middle of last season.

Saturday, McNeil capped off a three-point night with the game-winning goal midway through the third period to help the IceGators rally past the Baton Rouge Kingfish, 5-3, at the Cajundome. Chris Taliercio and Mitchell each had two assists for Louisiana, while Corupe and Bruce Richardson also scored for the IceGators. Kyle Kettles made 26 saves for a win in his pro debut for Louisiana.

Trevor Demmans, Clark Jones and Bryan Richardson each scored for Baton Rouge.

Friday, McNeil had two goals and John DePourcq had the game-winner in his first game at the Cajundome in two seasons as the IceGators opened the home portion of their schedule with an impressive 4-2 win over the Mississippi Sea Wolves. The win was head coach Dave Farrish's 100th with the IceGators.

Richardson also scored and Mitchell and Bobby Brown added two assists each for the IceGators, who scored four power-play tallies for the first time in the Farrish regime. Cloutier made 19 saves for Louisiana to win his second straight start and the 30th game of his career. The IceGators improved to 8-0-0 all-time in home openers.

Coming attractions:

FRI, LA vs. ARK, 7:05 p.m.
"Hurricane relief night"
Louisiana looks for its 10th win in its last 11 tries against Arkansas when the two teams hook up at the Cajundome. The teams played in the season-opener, with the IceGators emerging with an exciting 6-5 shootout win. Former IceGators Jason Saal and Matt Pagnutti lead the RiverBlades into town. Louisiana is 15-6-3 all-time against Arkansas.

SAT, LA at BR, 7:05 p.m.
Louisiana has dominated this series in the past two seasons, going 9-0-1 in the last 10 games, including a 5-3 win Saturday at the Cajundome.

SUN, LA vs. JCK, 4:05
"Hat Tricks and Treats"
The Bandits make their first trek into the Cajundome since knocking off the IceGators in the Southwest Division semifinals in March. Mike Tamburro is gone, but Jackson recently signed an affiliation with NHL Jackson. The Bandits have a pair of championship-winning goaltenders leading them -- Tyrone Garner and Greenville won the Kelly Cup, while Adam Hauser won the NCAA Title with Minnesota.

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

PLEASE NOTE: Friday's broadcast is Internet only.

‘Gators remind kids to "Just Say No" - The IceGators will be visiting Ernest Gallet Elementary in Youngsville on Wednesday afternoon to deliver a presentation for the school's "Just Say No" program. Next week (October 29 & 30), the IceGators will be at career week at Evangeline Elementary.

Farrish gets No. 100 - The IceGators delivered Dave Farrish his 100th win with the team on Friday. Through the week's end, Farrish sports an impressive 102-36-10 record. Louisiana is the third different team with which Farrish has hit the century mark in victories.

McNeil never better – Shawn McNeil's six goals on the week gave him 100 goals in his pro and IceGators career. He passed Don Parsons for sixth on the team's all-time point list Saturday, as his game-winning goal was his 211th point as an IceGator. He now has 214 points, and teammate John DePourcq is fifth with 220 points. McNeil has points in each of his last 11 regular-season games, dating back to season. He has 17 points (11g, 6a) in that span. McNeil's longest point streak of his career (in a single season) is 12 games. Saturday also marked McNeil's 18th career game with three or more points. McNeil has three straight multi-goal games for the first time in his career.

Mighty Mitchell – Defenseman Kevin Mitchell is playing the best hockey of his two-year pro career. The 22-year-old has eight points, all assists, in the first four games of the season. Dating back to last season, Mitchell has points in each of his last nine games (1g, 12a). His four-game point streak to begin the season is two games shy of his career high, set from January 25-February 4, 2002. Mitchell had two assists in a game just five times last season. Six of Mitchell's assists this season have come on the power play.

Rempel showing consistency - Nathan Rempel had just two career multi-point games entering this season, both two-point contests, but he had a three-assist game Sunday after never having more than one assist in any game in his career. Rempel's four-game point streak to start the season (1g, 5a) is a career-high.

New website a "hit" – The revamped official website of the IceGators, www.icegators.com, has been busy through the start of the season. The site had a record 1,398 unique visitors on Friday, the day Louisiana played its home opener. The next night, there were 1,216 unique hits. Since October 7, the day that power was restored throughout Acadiana from Hurricane Lili, the site has averaged 1,076 hits a day, with just two days below 1,000.

A stifling defense – The IceGators are outshooting their opponents by an average of 39.3-22.5 shots per game. Louisiana has outshot its opponents 72-21 in the second period this season and is also tied for the ECHL lead averaging 5.0 goals per contest.

Kettles wins debut – Rookie Kyle Kettles became the second IceGators goaltender to win his pro debut in as many seasons when he stopped 26 shots in the 5-3 win over Mississippi on Saturday. Kettles, signed by NHL Minnesota in April, joined Frederic Cloutier (2001-02) and Lance Franz (1998-99) as IceGators to win their pro debut between the pipes.

Goneau gets 100th goal, 200th point – Left wing Daniel Goneau's first goal Sunday was his 100th North American pro tally. He wasted little time getting his 200th North American pro point, as he scored just 3:16 later to get to that milestone. Goneau is one assist shy of 100 as a pro in North America.

Player of the Week Nominees

Left wing Shawn McNeil - Winger had six goals and seven points in leading IceGators to 3-0-0 record...Scored two power-play goals in 4-2 win over Mississippi on Friday...Had another two goals, including the game-winner, to go along with an assist, in Louisiana's 5-3 win over Baton Rouge on Saturday...Scored twice, once on the power play, in 5-3 win over Mississippi on Sunday...Ended week leading ECHL with six goals.

Goaltender Frederic Cloutier - Was 2-0-0 with a 2.50 goals against average and an .844 save percentage on the week...Stopped 19 of 21 shots Friday in 5-3 home win over Mississippi...Made another 19 saves in Sunday's 5-3 road win over Mississippi...Has won last six starts, dating back to last season...Has faced 10 or more shots in a period just once in nine stanzas this season...2-0-0 with a 3.84 gaa on the road this season.



ECHL Stories from October 21, 2002


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