Cyclones rally from three down to top IceGators in nine-round shootout

February 26, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Cincinnati, OH – Rookie Evan Cheverie had two goals and two assists and John Campbell scored the game-winner in the ninth round of the shootout, as the Cincinnati Cyclones rallied from a three-goal deficit for a thrilling 6-5 win over the Louisiana IceGators at US Bank Arena. Nick Bootland added two goals and an assist, and Yutaka Fukufuji made 28 saves in relief of Gregg Naumenko for Cincinnati, which actually led 5-4 late in regulation and improved to 2-1-2 in its last five.

Cal Benazic sent the game into overtime with a goal with 38.3 seconds left, and Louis Mass, Shawn Skiehar, Bobby Brown and Shawn McNeil also scored for the IceGators, who gained a point to move back into sole possession of first place in the Southwest Division with 73 points. Louisiana, which has two games in hand over second-place Mississippi (72 points), failed to win a game in which it held a three-goal lead for the first time in more than five seasons. Kyle Kettles finished with 38 saves for the IceGators, who play in Peoria on Friday.

Cincinnati controlled most of overtime, outshooting Louisiana 4-0 in the five-minute extra session. Kettles, however, was unwavering.

Brown started the shootout, but Fukufuji made a pad save. Kettles stopped Joe Cardarelli on Cincinnati's first attempt to keep the Cyclones off the board. Kenny Corupe slid the puck wide on a backhanded attempt for the IceGators, but Kettles just got a glove on Mike Casselman's shot and sent it wide. In round three, Fukufuji stopped Louisiana's Martin Bartek's quick wrister. Cincinnati gained the first lead in the shootout when Bootland raised a backhander over Kettles, but the IceGators got even when McNeil faked Fukufuji to the ground and got one over him. After Cheverie missed for Cincinnati. Nathan Rempel went between the pads of Fukufuji in the fifth round to put the IceGators up, but Gaucher sent the shootout into sudden death with another five-hole tally.

In the sudden death shootout, Benazic shot his attempt wine, and Steve Gallace also went wide for the Cyclones. In round seven, Chris Taliercio was stopped by Fukufuji, and Aaron Brand shot the puck wide to keep the shootout going. Casey Kesselring's attempt went wide in the eighth round, but Kettles stopped Brent Twordik. Fukufuji deflected away Rod Sarich's attempt in round nine, and Campbell deked and put the puck past Kettles for the game-winner.

The last time the IceGators held a three-or-more goal lead and failed to win was on January 9, 1998, when they led Birmingham 4-0 and fell 6-5 in a shootout.

Louisiana played in its 19th overtime/overtime game this season, a new team record but its first in eight games, since a 5-4 extra session loss to Baton Rouge on February 2.

After Cincinnati rallied from three goals down to tie the game at 3-3 in the second, McNeil put the IceGators back on top at the 1:25 mark of the third with his 33rd goal of the season. Rempel took a hard check in the corner and got the puck to Kesselring behind the net. Kesselring fed McNeil in the right circle, and McNeil blistered a shot past Fukufuji.

It didn't take the Cyclones long to answer, as they evened the score at 4-4 just 1:29 later. Cheverie tipped Noga's attempt from long range, but Kettles made the stop. Cheverie took his own rebound up and wristed a shot up and over Kettles for his second of the night and 18th of the season.

Gaucher, who had eight points (3g, 5a) in 16 games with Louisiana in the 1999-2000 season, scored his 19th goal with 7:30 remaining for the apparent game-winner. Kettles stoned Twordik from up close, and the loose puck trickled back to Gaucher at the point. Gaucher, who leads all ECHL blueliners in goals and points, ripped one from just inside the blueline past Kettles.

Benazic hit the post with 4:58 left, but Fukufuji corralled the high rebound.

Benazic wouldn't be denied with 38.3 seconds left to tie the game with his third extra attacker goal and his first tally since November 9. Brown took a shot from the point that pinballed off the boards. Benazic and Bartek converged on the puck, and Benazic poked the puck past Fukufuji. Both of Benazic's other extra attacker goals came in a thrilling 3-2 New Year's Eve victory over Baton Rouge, when he scored twice in the final minute of regulation.

Kettles helped send the game into overtime, stopping Gaucher from the right point as time expired.

After Brown made it 3-0 with 7:45 left in the first, Cincinnati got rolling. Brown's wraparound attempt was blocked by Naumenko, and Brown collected the puck and backhanded one over the goalie for his 31st goal of the season and 12th in the last 10 games. The tally was Louisiana's third on seven shots, ending Naumenko's night in favor of Fukufuji.

The change ignited Cincinnati, which drew within two 1:38 later. Bootland followed up his own miss with a shot from the top of the left circle. Bootland's attempt was tipped by Kettles, but the puck made it over the line.

Bootland made it 3-2 just 1:13 into the second with his second tally of the game. The Cyclones captain picked up the puck between the circles and shot one high glove side over Kettles for his 13th of the season.

Cheverie evened the score at 3-3 with first of the game 4:33 into the second. Cheverie ripped one from the top of the left circle on a 2-on-1, and beat Kettles low.

Kettles foiled Cheverie's first attempt for a fourth point, as he walked in alone on the netminder at the midway point of the second.

Mass, a Bowling Green State product whose first pro goal November 19 was a game-winner in his 77th game, got credit for his second tally in his 117th pro contest at the 2:35 mark of the opening period. Naumenko couldn't handle a dump in a Mass dump-in from the blueline, and the puck rested on the goal line. Gaucher tapped the puck into his own net with Mass picking up the goal.

Skiehar made it 2-0 with four seconds left in a Chad McIver tripping call. Kesselring got the puck to Sarich, who ripped one from just inside the blueline, and Skiehar tipped the puck past Naumenko at the 8:05 mark. The tally was Skiehar's sixth of the season.

Just two seconds after that score, Louisiana rookie Derek Boogaard fought with Cincinnati's Jason Norrie, acquired yesterday from Baton Rouge. Boogaard and Norrie fought twice on December 27 in Baton Rouge.

Louisiana finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while the top-ranked Cyclones power play went 0-for-2.

Gator Bites:

Ken Payie (pronounced PAY) backed up Kettles. Payie, who works in Indianapolis, played collegiate hockey at the University of Guelph.

The IceGators have scored first in three of their last four road games.

Twenty six of McNeil's 33 goals have either given the IceGators the lead or tied the game.

Fukufuji became the 49th goalie to allow a goal to McNeil in his four-year career.

Cheverie became the eighth opponent to put up four points against the IceGators this season, and the first since Pensacola's Louis Dumont (2g, 2a) January 25.

Cheverie is just the fourth opponent to have three points in a single period against Louisiana this season. The last was Pensacola's Greg Pankewicz (2g, 1a), November 15.

The IceGators played in their 31st one-goal game, going 13-7-11. Cincinnati is 11-7-6.

Louisiana suffered its 11th shootout/overtime loss, a new franchise record.

Kettles' seven shootout/overtime losses are a new team single season record. He is 0-3 in shootouts. Doug Bonner had six in 1998-99.



ECHL Stories from February 26, 2003


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