IceGators Fight Back, Still Drop to Ice Pilots 5-4
Published on January 31, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Pensacola, FL - The Louisiana IceGators fought hard to extend their winning streak to nine games, but the Pensacola Ice Pilots used an excellent special teams showing to stop the Gators' streak at eight games.
Pilot Peter Fregoe scored the only two goals of the first period, within two minutes of each other, to give the Pilots a lead they would not relinquish. The first goal was short-handed for the Pilots. The second was on a Pilots' power play.
The IceGators came back from a three goal deficit in the second period to pull within one goal of the Pilots. Skating with a four-minute man-advantage, Dennis Shiryaev screened Brian Eklund and allowed Ben Storey to collect his 13th goal of the year, 12 of which have come on the power play. Jamie Johnson and Rod Sarich collected assists on the goal.
Forty three second later, Bobby Brown pulled the Gators within one on his 24th goal of the year. Still on the power play, Brown caught the puck after Ed McGrane won the face-off and surprised Eklund with a top-shelf wrister from the left circle.
Brian Herbert opened the scoring in the third period with his eighth of the year, off a feed from Jim Vickers. Herbert caught the pass and slid the puck through Eklund's pads and across the goal line.
The tie lasted two minutes before Pilot Tyler Beechey beat Frederic Cloutier by corralling a rebound and wristing the puck past the Louisiana All-Star. Cloutier would let in one more goal, at the 15 minute mark. Once again, the Gators came back and cut the lead to one goal.
With 58 seconds left on the clock, Bobby Brown tallied his second goal of the evening with a one-timer from the left circle. Ed McGrane earned his second assist of the game and Ben Storey, with the second assist on the goal, completed a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick:" a goal, an assist and a fight.
The IceGators went three-for-six on the power play against Pensacola, while the Pilots' tallied three man-advantage goals on five tries. Frederic Cloutier stopped 31 of 36 Pensacola shots on goal. The Gators put 29 shots on Brian Eklund, with four of them finding the back of the net.
The IceGators will return to Lafayette and host the Texas Wildcatters at the Frozen Swamp on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:05 pm. The Ice Pilots will visit for a rematch next Friday, February 6 at 7:05 pm.
ECHL Stories from January 31, 2004
- Falcons Embarrassed in Vegas - Fresno Falcons
- Gulls Foil Condors Again, 4-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Gulls dent win column again - San Diego Gulls
- IceGators Fight Back, Still Drop to Ice Pilots 5-4 - Louisiana IceGators
- Sea Wolves Double Up Wildcatters, 4-2 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Rivermen "Power" Past Cincinnati 4-1 - Peoria Rivermen
- Sea Wolves Swim Past the Wildcatters, 4-2 - Texas Wildcatters
- Chiefs Defeat Reading 5-2 - Johnstown Chiefs
- Pride down Grrrowl 4-2 - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Gladiators bitten by Snakes, 4-3 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Nailers top Bombers, 8-2 - Dayton Bombers
- Chiefs Acquire Left Wing Zehr From Greenville - Johnstown Chiefs
- Reminder: home game tonight - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Today In The ECHL - ECHL
- Zehr to Johnstown for futures - Greenville Grrrowl
- Chiefs Fall in Shootout to Atlantic City - Johnstown Chiefs
- Goalies Put On A Show In Gull's Shootout Victory - San Diego Gulls
- Falcons Still Can't Solve Condors - Fresno Falcons
- Florence Nips Checkers In Overtime 5-4 - Charlotte Checkers
- Condors Win In Fresno 4-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Titans Power Play Downs Bombers 4-1 - Trenton Devils
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