Florida hands 'Gators 4-2 loss

October 24, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Estero, Fla. – Brian McCullough scored the first of his two goals 1:28 into the game, and Chad Larose's shorthanded score later in the period went down as the game-winner, as the Florida Everblades beat the Louisiana IceGators 4-2 at TECO Arena. Brent McDonald added a third-period score and Jeff Maund turned aside 26 shots in front of 7,l81 fans at Florida's home opener – a game which saw five first-period goals and just one thereafter. Kenny Corupe had both Louisiana goals, the first of which was the 50th in his pro career, and Frederic Cloutier finished with 19 saves for Louisiana, which fell to 2-1-0 and plays at TECO Arena again Saturday at 6:35 p.m. (ct). Cloutier, who was looking for his 50th pro win, suffered the first regulation loss of his career in October, falling to 8-1-1.

The IceGators, meanwhile, dropped to 1-4-1 all-time at TECO Arena.

Florida, which entered the game averaging an ECHL-best five goals per game, wasted little time getting things going. McCullough's redirection in front put Florida on top just 1:28 into the game. Jon Insana launched a shot from the point, and McCullough tipped the puck past Cloutier.

After the IceGators failed to capitalize on a power play, McCullough made it 2-0 at the 11:20 mark. He took a saucer pass from McDonald on a two-on-one, beating Cloutier low blocker side for his team-best fifth goal of the season.

Corupe got Louisiana right back within one, as Corupe scored at the 13:23 mark. Skating with rookie Keith Kirley, Corupe bided his time, faked a pass to Kirley streaking towards the net, and swept a shot by Maund when the netminder went down. The goal was Corupe's first of the season, and Kirley picked up his first pro point on the play.

Louisiana's momentum was stopped on a dime on the power play just more than a minute later, when Larose was sprung free for a shorthanded breakaway. Larose faked the backhand on Cloutier, then slid the puck under the netminder with his forehand for his second goal of the season.

Corupe, though, got the IceGators back within 3-2 on the power play less than a minute later. As the Everblades went to change lines, Corupe and Dennis Shiryaev skated in on a two-on-none. Corupe beat Maund for his second of the night with 4:07 left in the first.

The IceGators dominated much of the second period, outshooting Florida 12-8.

Still, Cloutier had to stop McDonald on yet another breakaway five minutes into the second period, as the IceGators got caught in another bad line change.

The IceGators had a power play taken from them at the 4:44 mark of the third, when Masa was called for diving when Brandon Coalter took him down.

Florida's Stu Pietersma and Shiryaev, who fought last season when Pietersma was in Mississippi, brawled in front of the Louisiana bench just prior to the midway point of the third period. Pietersma jumped Shiryaev on the way off for a line change and was given the instigator penalty with the 10-minute misconduct, ending his night. Kirley and Coalter also got fighting majors on the play.

Another IceGators defensive breakdown, this one with eight minutes left in the game, led to the backbreaker. McDonald found himself alone in front of Cloutier and slammed home the one-timer into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Louisiana's Kenny Goetz fought Florida's Peter Reynolds after a scrum in front with six minutes left, but the IceGators couldn't use the fracas to gain any added momentum. The major penalty left Louisiana with just seven forwards for less than a minute.

The IceGators did have a chance in the final four minutes on the power play, but Maund made a nice grab on Ben Storey's slapshot from the point.

Louisiana ended up outshooting Florida 9-4 in the third period but couldn't catch up.

The IceGators finished 1-for-5 on the power play, while Florida failed to score on either of its two man-advantage chances.

Gator Bites:

The IceGators fell to 22-3-1 in October under Dave Farrish, with two of the three regulation losses coming at TECO Arena. The other loss in Estero was on October 21, 2000, also a 4-2 decision.

Louisiana failed to start the season 3-0-0 for the first time in Farrish's four seasons.

Shiryaev picked up a minor penalty in the second period, giving him 400 penalty minutes in his IceGators career. He moved past John Spoltore for 11th on the team's all-time list with his seven penalty minutes in the third.

Pietersma has nine fighting majors in 10 career games versus the IceGators.

The IceGators have scored two regulation goals in each of their first three games. In each game, the same player has both goals. Bobby Brown scored twice October 17, Konstantin Kalmikov had two goals October 18 and Corupe had two tonight.



ECHL Stories from October 24, 2003


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