'Catters continue division domination with 5-2 win
December 9, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Texas Wildcatters News Release
Beaumont, TX-- The ECHL-leading Texas Wildcatters finished the weekend sweep and extended their season-high unbeaten streak to eleven games with a 5-2 victory over the Pensacola Ice Pilots Sunday afternoon in Ford Arena.
Pensacola battled hard through the first period, but the 'Catters would rattle off a four-goal second to pull away from the Ice Pilots, who occupy the basement position in the ECHL with only three wins.
Matt Kassian would beging the scoring for the 'Catters with his second goal of the year, an even-strength marker at 2:47 of the second period that came as the big power forward would sling a wrist shot through traffic and beat goalie Mike Brodeur, playing in his third game in three days. Max Taylor and Scott Champagne would collect assists on the play.
Danny Welch extended his points streak to four games with his fifth point in that span, coming by way of a top-shelf wrist shot for his seventh goal of the season. The power play tally would be assisted by Brandon Benedict and John McNabb--each cultivating three-game point streaks themselves.
Benedict would collect his second of three assists on the evening when he and McNabb would help Ross Carlson to a power play goal at 13:07 to make the score 3-0. The goal was not awarded until a five-minute review of the play by on- and off-ice officials concluded the Carlson shot had indeed scored and escaped the back of a net through a hole in the webbing.
Pensacola would momentarily stall the Texas juggernaut when Chris Straube scored for the Ice Pilots with six minutes remaining in the period, but McNabb would notch his third point of the evening with an even-strength goal at 15:22 and send the 'Catters to the second intermission with a 4-1 lead. Benedict would complete his playmaker with an assist and Welch would gather his second point of the night on play for his fourth multi-point game of the season.
Pensacola would close the gap to 4-2 when Anton Khudobin--who stopped 18 shots en route to his eighth win of the season--could not handle a puck that took a strange hop along the boards behind the net. The puck would shoot to Bryan McGregor who would send it into the virtually empty net at 1:22 of the third period for his fifth goal of the year.
Champagne, who has registered a point in the last six games he has been activated, a streak dating back to Nov. 20, put the nail in the Pensacola coffin with an empty net goal assisted by Carlson and Marc Fulton at 19:23.
The Wildcatters finished the game 2-for-5 on the power play, and have scored five power play goals in the last two games. With 37 shots Sunday, the 'Catters fired an astounding 125 shots on goal in the three-game series.
With the win, the 'Catters move to 17-2-4 and an impressive 16-1-3 against South Division opponents. Their 38 standings points give them a nine-point division lead over the Gwinnett Gladiators and are tops in the ECHL.
Texas heads to Estero, Florida to face the third-place Everblades in a three-game series beginning Tuesday. Check out all the action live on B2 Networks by following the link at www.wildcattershockey.com.
The Texas Wildcatters are the proud ECHL affiliate of the AHL's Houston Aeros and the Minnesota Wild of the NHL. Book your Christmas party with the 'Catters by calling (409) 951-5500!
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