Chad Cabana propels Manatees to victory
March 25, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Miami Manatees News Release
Orlando â Chad Cabana came out strong as the Manatees are looking to clinch a playoff spot as the WHA2 season winded down. Cabana scored a hat-trick by the third period and knocked in the game-winning goal late in the third period to pull the Manatees ahead of the host Seals 6-5.
The Manatees started off the scoring when Garrett Dionne got his first goal as a Manatee. Dan Donnette passed the puck to Dionne at the top of the zone, and Dionne's wrist-shot arced over David Goverde to find the back of the net at 14:13.
The Manatees extended the lead to two goals at 15:55 of the first period when Chad Cabana unleashed a rocket from the top of the right circle that beat Goverde cleanly. Donnette drew the lone assist on the Cabana goal. The Seals pulled within one when Jason Elders shot from the right blue-line snuck past goaltender Al Rooney at 16:17.
The Manatees recently signed Rooney to a contract, and he was tested right way in his first game with the Manatees, especially in the first period. Rooney turned aside 15 of 16 Seals shots as the Manatees ended up the period ahead 2-1.
Cabana wasn't done with the scoring though. In the second period Cabana collected his rebound of a shot in the low-slot, and patiently shot the puck past a sprawling Goverde to give the Manatees a two-goal lead.
In addition to the new goaltender Rooney, the Manatees had another new player making his presence felt when Rusty Melinowski scored his first pro-goal by jamming a loose puck into the net during an intense scrum.
Cabana collected his first hat-trick as a Manatee when he parked himself in the low-slot and swiftly one-timed a pass to give the Manatees a three-goal lead. The Seals answered though, scoring with 31 seconds left in the second period to send the teams off the ice with a Manatees 5-3 lead.
Orlando came back hard to start the third period when they tied the game up on a controversial goal at 13:01. Tomas Jelenik blasted a shot that caused the goal judge to light the lamp, but the head ref didn't signal a goal until after consulting with the goal-judge after the whistle. The Manatees argued to no avail as the goal tied the game up at five. Video replay later showed that the puck never crossed the goal-line.
But the Manatees eventually prevailed when Kevin Swider took a Donnette pass from the right corner and his shot trickled past Goverde's feet and rolled across the line where Cabana knocked it in for the game-winning goal at 15:44 of the third period.
Donnette finished the night with four assists and Chad Cabana scored four goals. Goaltender Al Rooney made 32 saves on 37 shots for his first win of the season.
News and Notes:
Goaltender Sean Weaver has been placed on season-ending IR.
The Miami Manatees face off against the Alabama Slammers, Jacksonville Barracudas, Lakeland Loggerheads, Macon Trax, and Orlando Seals in the WHA2's inaugural season. All games are broadcast on www.irn.fm.
Individual and Group Tickets for the Miami Manatees are now on sale. For further information, please contact the Manatees at (305) 536-PUCK (7825) or visit www.miamimanatees.com.
SPHL Stories from March 25, 2004
- Seals nipped by Manatees, 6-5 - Florida Seals
- Chad Cabana propels Manatees to victory - Miami Manatees
- Manatees sign three - Miami Manatees
- Slammers ready for playoff push - Alabama Slammers
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