Benazic, McNeil ignite comeback as IceGators ring out 2002 the right way
December 31, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Lafayette, LA â Cal Benazic scored twice in the final 51.5 seconds of regulation, Shawn McNeil got the shootout's only goal and Frederic Cloutier made 34 saves as the Louisiana IceGators extended their winning streak to five games with a thrilling 3-2 New Year's Eve victory over the Baton Rouge Kingfish at the Cajundome. Bruce Richardson had two assists for the IceGators, who claimed first place overall in the East Coast Hockey League with 49 points.
Niklas Sundberg was awesome in net, making 36 saves in his first game for Baton Rouge, which skated with just 13 players due to injury and fell to 0-2-4 in its last six games. Jason Norrie and Mike Guenther each scored for the Kingfish.
Benazic's first of the game, with 51.5 seconds left, came with Cloutier pulled and after constant pressure. Kenny Corupe slid a pass back to Benazic at the right point, and the defenseman's one-timer through a screen beat Sundberg.
With the Cajundome crowd on its feet, Benazic scored his 10th of the season with 28.2 seconds remaining. Richardson won the draw back to Benazic, whose shot from the blueline once again got by Sundberg.
The IceGators outshot Baton Rouge 7-3 in overtime, but couldn't put across the game-winner. Sundberg juggled Daniel Goneau's fiery one-timer from the left point and hung on at the 2:16 mark.
The Kingfish had several chances late in overtime following an unsportsmanlike penalty call on Nathan Rempel. In a span of 35 seconds, Cloutier stopped Bryan Richardson and Trevor Demmans from the point, then Richardson again from the bottom of the left circle. With seven seconds left, Mathieu had a partial breakaway, but Cloutier spread his pads to kick away the puck.
McNeil was the only player to score in the shootout, getting a tally in the third round. Cloutier stopped Mike Oliveira, Mike Kiesman, Sam Paquet, Marquis Mathieu and Joe Guenther.
Both teams came out with a lot of energy in a first period that saw a lot of action but no scoring. The IceGators were outshot 13-8, but Cloutier was perfect. Sundberg got lucky when a shot went wide on a 2-on-1 by Goneau and Bruce Richardson.
The IceGators had the first five shots of the second period, aided by 52 seconds of a power play. At the 2:06 mark, Goneau took a cross-ice pass from Richardson in the slot and ripped a one-timer that Sundberg got a piece of with his glove. Seconds later, Shawn Skiehar redirected a shot just wide.
A flurry of activity in front of the IceGators net led to the game's first goal, as Norrie lit the lamp for the Kingfish with 8:01 gone in the second period. Cloutier made three saves from close range, but Norrie â who just seconds earlier had an attempt from the low slot stopped â popped the rebound over Cloutier for his 14th goal of the season on the team's 17th shot of the game.
Bruce Richardson had a shot through a screen from the high slot with just more than five minutes left in the second on the power play, but Sundberg swallowed the shot. Seconds later, he kicked aside Benazic's one-timer from the point. Louisiana had no fewer than three other chances on that man advantage, holding the puck in the zone for the entire two minutes. Just as the power-play expired, Goneau had a shot from the lower right circle that Sundberg somehow got a piece of and covered up.
The IceGators outshot Baton Rouge 15-12 in the second, including seven shots on the power play, but Sunderg let none by.
Louisiana had the only shot in the first eight minutes of a third period that began very slowly. The IceGators had to kill off two power plays in the first seven minutes, and another with 8:14 left, stunting a possible comeback until Benazic's heroics. Each team finished the third period with eight shots.
Baton Rouge went up 2-0 with 5:29 left when Guenther finished off a nifty 2-on-1 with Clark Jones.
Sundberg, an NCAA Division III SUNY Plattsburgh product, was assigned to the Kingfish by AHL Hartford yesterday due to injuries to both Brian Leitza and Jeff Blair. Sundberg, who played his eight prior pro games with ECHL Charlotte, was playing in his first game since December 13, a 6-3 loss against Reading. He had accumulated five shutouts in the past two seasons with Plattsburgh State. Sundberg was trying to become just the second goalie to ever shut out the IceGators at the Cajundome, joining the now retired Mike Tamburro, who accomplished the feat three times.
Louisiana finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while Baton Rouge was 0-for-6.
The IceGators improved to 5-2-1 all-time on New Year's Eve home games.
Louisiana now has six extra attacker goals this season, not counting one that came on a delayed penalty call. Richardson had one, and McNeil the three others prior to tonight.
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ECHL Stories from December 31, 2002
- Jackals Defeat Beacons 5-2, End 2002 With Win - Elmira Jackals
- Benazic, McNeil ignite comeback as IceGators ring out 2002 the right way - Louisiana IceGators
- Kingfish fall in shootout, 3-2 - Baton Rouge Kingfish
- Generals move within one point of first - Greensboro Generals
- Blades Earn Point in 2-1 Overtime Loss - Florida Everblades
- Generals Game Night Notes - Greensboro Generals
- K-Wings Week in Review for December 30th-January 5th - Kalamazoo Wings
- Baxter, Scott and Gardner Tops in December - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Jackal Bites - Elmira Jackals
- Nailers Change Game Time - Wheeling Nailers
- Grizz Fall to Griffins - Utah Grizzlies
- Wings Stadium/K-Wings and Quota Club Team Up - Kalamazoo Wings
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