IceGators Edge Sea Wolves, 5-4
Published on January 24, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
Mississippi Sea Wolves News Release
LAFAYETTE, La. â In a showdown for first place in the Southwest Division, the Louisiana IceGators narrowly slipped past the Mississippi Sea Wolves, 5-4. Louisiana sits in first place with 58 points. The Sea Wolves are two points back with 56.
Mississippi (26-14-4) opened the score at the 2:16 mark. Rookie forward Mike Scott beat goaltender Kyle Kettles, to score his 12th of the year.
Louisiana (25-10-8) rebounded 15 seconds later. IceGators' forward Shawn McNeil tucked the puck past goaltender Sean Matile, tying the score 1-1. The goal was McNeil's 24th of the season.
The IceGators grabbed the lead at 4:38. Forward Bobby Brown let go with a right circle shot over the right shoulder of Matile, making it 2-1 for Louisiana.
Mississippi got back on even terms in the middle stanza. Forward Travis Lisabeth converted in front at 7:44 on a centering pass from Sergei Kuznetsov, knotting the score 2-2.
The Sea Wolves jumped ahead in a shorthanded situation at 15:16. All-star Steffon Walby barged down the slot and knived it in, setting a Sea Wolves single season record by scoring his sixth shorthanded tally. The goal was Walby's 22nd overall.
Louisiana responded quickly once again, converting on its power play, 48 seconds later. Bobby Brown cashed in on the power play, tying it 3-3.
In the third, Mississippi went on top at 1:38. Veteran Cody Bowtell buried a pass in the slot from Jeff Hutchins. Bowtell's 20th of the year, gave the Sea Wolves a 4-3 lead.
But McNeil stepped up for Louisiana. He tallied his second of the night at 5:35, tying the score 4-4. Then McNeil let go with a turnaround shot from the left circle at 16:45, to complete his hat trick performance and send the IceGators to victory.
Matile stopped 30 of 35 shots, dropping to 6-4-0. Kettles surrendered four goals on 27 shots, improving to 9-4-4.
Mississippi failed to score on four power play opportunites. Louisiana converted on 1-of-4 chances with the man advantage.
The Sea Wolves head up north on a road swing beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT in Dayton, Ohio. Listen to live play-by-play hockey action on Q 92.5 FM.
Mississippi returns home on Sunday, February 9 at 5:05 p.m. against the Peoria Rivermen at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Adults purchasing an individual game ticket, receive one FREE ticket for a child 12 and under.
Individual game tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office and by calling 228-594-3707.
ECHL Stories from January 24, 2003
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- McNeil nets three, Brown two as IceGators rally past Mississippi - Louisiana IceGators
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