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First-place \'Gators run unbeaten streak to 10 games

December 9, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


The IceGators earned four out of six points over the weekend from Southwest Division foes Arkansas and Mississippi, the team's two closest rivals, with all three games going extra time. Louisiana earned one win but picked up at least a point in one game, and the IceGators enter this week three points up on Mississippi and five on Arkansas for first place.

The week began with a thrilling 5-4 home overtime win against the RiverBlades. Shawn McNeil sent the game into overtime with 49 seconds left, then won it with 1:23 remaining in the extra session as the IceGators rallied from 3-0 and 4-2 deficits.

Kevin Mitchell and Daniel Goneau each had a goal and two assists for Louisiana, while Cal Benazic also scored and Frederic Cloutier withstood constant pressure to finish with a season-high 38 saves.

The next night, McNeil again had a big goal, this one the "Teddy Bear Toss" goal, sending a flow of teddy bears onto the ice. However, Jason Bermingham sent the game into overtime with 6:43 left with a power play goal, and Jason Deskins won it in a shootout, as the RiverBlades snapped a four-game winless streak with a 4-3 win at the Cajundome.

Mitchell had a goal and an assist and Bruce Richardson added two helpers for Louisiana, while Kenny Corupe also scored and Cloutier made 28 saves.

An equally exciting game ensued on Sunday, with Mississippi emerging from its own rink with a 4-3 overtime victory over the IceGators. Newcomer Kent Davyduke scored just five seconds into overtime and Dave Paradise had a pair of goals, including the tying score early in the third period. The Sea Wolves improved to 2-5-0 against the IceGators this season.

Richardson scored 13 seconds into the game, and Bobby Brown and Goneau also scored for Louisiana, which picked up a point to extend its unbeaten streak to 10 games (7-0-3). Rookie Kyle Kettles was outstanding in goal, turning aside a career-best 37 shots.

Greg Gardner made 25 saves for Mississippi, and Darryl Campbell also scored.

Mississippi's Cody Bowtell won the overtime faceoff, pushing the puck into the IceGators zone. Davyduke, acquired Thursday from Trenton for cash, ripped a shot from the top of the left circle for the game-winner.

Coming attractions:

WED, LA at BR. 7:05 p.m.

Baton Rouge has been playing much better as of late, going 3-1-1 in its last five games after earlier in the season going 11 games without a win. This one promises to be an exciting one, as each of the last four Kingfish games have been decided by one goal. The IceGators beat Baton Rouge 3-2 in Lafayette back on November 22.

FRI, LA vs. MIS, 7:05 p.m.

"Try Your Luck Puck"
The IceGators and Sea Wolves meet for the eighth time of the season already in one of the most hotly contested rivalries in the ECHL. Louisiana is 5-1-1 against Mississippi this season, although the Sea Wolves eeked out a 4-3 overtime win in Biloxi on Sunday. The teams meet again in Biloxi on Friday, Dec. 20.

SAT, LA at JCK, 7:05 p.m.

The Bandits enter the week 3-1-1 in their last five games, including a 2-1 win over Mississippi on Saturday night. Jackson enters the week just three points behind fourth-place Pensacola.

SUN, LA vs. JCK, 4:05 p.m.

The Bandits and IceGators wrap up the home-and-home series with an afternoon game at the Cajundome.

Davyduke strikes quick - Kent Davyduke's game-winner five seconds into overtime was the quickest ever in a period against Louisiana and tied the ECHL record for fastest goal from the start of a period. Carolina's Brian Hannon accomplished the feat on December 1, 1988, and Hampton Roads' Rick Kowalsky matched it on December 22, 1995. It was the fastest ECHL overtime goal in league history.

Getting used to overtime - The IceGators have played three straight overtime/shootout games for just the sixth time in franchise history, and for the first time since a franchise-record, four-game streak from January 10-17, 2001. Louisiana is 15-5-5 this season, and its five overtime/shootout losses have already eclipsed last season's total. The IceGators are 1-3 in overtime this season, and 1-2 in shootouts.

Richardson in career-best form - Bruce Richardson's point streak is up to a career-best nine games, with nine goals and 11 assists in that span. Shawn McNeil has the longest IceGators point streak this season, an 11-game span to open the season. McNeil had a seven-game point streak snapped Sunday.

Helping out a friend - Shawn McNeil has 18 goals this season, and defenseman Kevin Mitchell has assisted on an astounding nine of the tallies. No other IceGator has assisted a teammate more this season.

While you were out - Bobby Brown returned to the IceGators from AHL Cincinnati prior to Saturday's game after notching two assists and picking up four penalty minutes with the Mighty Ducks. Brown picked up his 500th career penalty minute while he was in Cincinnati. Brown, who played alongside former Houston Aeros teammate Brendan Yarema with the Mighty Ducks, enters this week with 349 career points (142g, 207a).

A friendly competition - Shawn McNeil has five goals this season and seven in the past two against former teammate and current Arkansas RiverBlade Jason Saal. The netminder got the last laugh over the weekend, stopping McNeil late in regulation and in the shootout on Saturday.

An impressive streak - Louisiana's 10-game unbeaten in regulation streak (7-0-3) is tied for the fourth longest in team history. The team was 10-0-0 from January 31-February 19, 1997. The IceGators were unbeaten in regulation in 10 games twice last season, including a 14-0-0 streak from November 23-December 21.

Comeback kids strike again - Friday night, the IceGators rallied from a three-goal deficit to win for the first time this season and for the third time in the past two seasons. Louisiana trailed 4-1 in the second period against New Orleans last November 18 before rallying for a 5-3 win behind a pair of goals by McNeil. Then, on January 26, the IceGators trailed 3-0 late in the second period but won at Mobile 5-4. The IceGators' largest comeback is from four goals down, accomplished twice.

McNeil entering lofty territory - Shawn McNeil has 239 points as an IceGator, tying him with Louis Dumont for fourth place on the team's all-time list. McNeil has already passed Don Parsons and teammate John DePourcq on this list this season. It will take McNeil a little while longer to go any higher than fourth; Jay Murphy is third at 366. McNeil's game-winner Friday was his 17th with the team, tying him with Chris Valicevic, John Spoltore and Don Parsons for third place on the team's all-time list. Dumont is up next with 22, while Murphy leads the category with 39.

Shiryaev tied with Maxwell - Dennis Shiryaev's fighting major Sunday was his 34th with the IceGators, tying him with Roger Maxwell for sixth on the team's all-time list. Shiryaev has played 18 fewer games.

Player of the Week Nominees

Defenseman Kevin Mitchell - Had six points (2g, 4a) in leading IceGators to 1-0-2 mark...Tied career-high with three points (1g, 2a) in 5-4 come-from-behind win over Arkansas on Friday, assisting on Shawn McNeil's game-tying goal late in regulation and his overtime game-winner...Picked up goal and assist Saturday in 4-3 shootout loss to Arkansas...Had an assist in Sunday's 4-3 OT loss at Mississippi...Leads the ECHL with 25 assists and all defensemen with 29 points.

Goaltender Frederic Cloutier - Went 1-0-1 with a 3.27 goals against average and a .904 save percentage last week...Made season-high 38 saves, including 16 in each the first and second periods, of 5-4 overtime win Friday against Arkansas...Turned aside 28 shots in 4-3 shootout loss to RiverBlades on Saturday...Is 11-3-4 with a 3.04 goals against average and a .898 save percentage this season...Has lowered gaa by .18 points in the last five games.

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