A head Turner on the Frozen Swamp

Published on March 20, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Lafayette, LA – Since Salmon Kings forward Scott Turner made his move from the Peoria Rivermen he has consistently played with intensity and tenacity. His play in the last month and a half warranted him the role of alternate captain on Saturday, from Head Coach Bryan Maxwell and he took nothing for granted.

The Salmon Kings have strung two in a row for the first together since December 7-10, 2004, by beating the Louisiana Ice Gators 7-5 in Lafayette and much of the Salmon Kings success in western Louisiana so far can placed on the work of Scott Turner.

Victoria opened the game against Louisiana with Mark Smith's goal at 36 seconds, from Turner and Kurtis Dulle. Then at 7:13 Turner notched one of his own from Ryan Wade and newly signed defenseman Craig Strain.

The Ice Gators down 2-0 came right back at 8:52 with Mark Rooneem's 16th of the season to draw Louisiana within a goal. The Salmon Kings did not let the lead out of their grasp, less than three minutes later Ryan Finnerty scored his second goal in as many games from Turner and Seth Leonard.

With just over three minutes left in the first period Ryan Wade put his first of the game on the board, with a powerplay goal from Brad Dexter and Turner. The Salmon Kings kept the pressure in the Ice Gators zone and continued giving Louisiana goaltender Nathan Marsters fit. Adam Campbell closed the scoring in the period with seventeen seconds left on a beautiful goal. As he was falling in front of the net he lifted the puck over the shoulder of Marsters to cap a 5-1 lead at the intermission.

Possibly the only thing more exceptional than five first period goals from the Salmon Kings is that Turner figured in four of them with a goal and three assists.

Victoria took the foot off the pedal in the second though and suffered a scare. Wade scored his second of the game at 37 seconds from Smith and Turner. But the tide began to turn in favor of the Ice Gators after that.

Louisiana scored three straight goals. Their first came off the stick of Chris Thompson even strength followed by two powerplay goals, first by Max Fortunus and then Mark Rooneem. The dominant lead of the Salmon Kings at the end of the first had been whittled away and the Ice Gators trailed by two, 6-4.

At 10:25 of the third the Ice Gators caught a break. A harmless looking dump in off the stick of Joe Dustin rang half way around the boards. Salmon Kings Goaltender Jaime McCaig went behind his net to play the puck. But the puck came off the boards with a funny bounce and straight into the net, to put the Ice Gators down only by one, 6-5.

With the Louisiana goalie out of the net and six attackers pressuring in the Salmon Kings zone Turner broke out and fed the pass to Wade who capped his hat-trick into the empty net.

Maxwell's top line finished with a total of 12 points. Turner had a goal and 5 assists for 6 points, Wade had 3 goals and an assist for 4 points and Smith had a goal and an assist for two points.

Victoria and Louisiana go again on Sunday afternoon at 4:05 pm local time, 2:05 PST, at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette.

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