Cruthers Two Goals and Shootout Marker Down Stingrays

November 21, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Mississippi Sea Wolves News Release


NORTH CHARLESTON, SC - The Mississippi Sea Wolves squandered a two-goal lead in the third period but held tough through a scoreless overtime and pulled out the win in the shootout behind goals from Ryan Cruthers and Mathieu Melanson and four saves against four shooters from Ryan Munce.

The Sea Wolves opened up an early lead when Ryan Cruthers popped in his first of the night, finding a loose puck near the South Carolina crease and pounding it past Stingrays goaltender Bobby Goepfert at 3:34 of the first. South Carolina tied the game shortly thereafter when Johann Kroll's shot from the point was deflected off of a Sea Wolves defender and past Ryan Munce for a power play goal at 5:27.

Cruthers notched his second of the game at 9:37 of the second a fortuitous bounce left a distracted Goepfert staring at Cruthers as he finished up the work Jason Tejchma started with a wrist shot that bounced off the crossbar. Mathieu Melanson's wrist shot beat Goepfert through the five-hole at 9:37 of the second period to give the Sea Wolves a 3-1 lead.

Trent Campbell's second goal of the season drew the Stingrays within one at 1:52 of the third period, and then Maxime Lacroix hammered home a feed from Michael Dubuc to tie the gaem at 12:07 of the third period.

Ryan Munce weathered a storm early in the overtime as the Stingrays held a power play, but was able to stop all three shots he faced in the extra session.

Ryan Cruthers scored in the second round of the shootout and Mathieu Melanson scored in the fourth round to give the Sea Wolves the win as Munce stopped all four Stingrays shooters.

NOTEBOOK: Defenseman Michael Couch missed his fifth consecutive game with a lower-body injury... defenseman Chris Zarb did not travel with the team due to a lower-body injury and is expected to be sidelined for another 2-4 weeks... defenseman Justin Coutu is expected to return to practice next Tuesday... Friday's game was the first of five in nine days between the Sea Wolves and South Carolina.



ECHL Stories from November 21, 2008


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