IceGators finish exhibition schedule unbeaten after 2-1 win
October 6, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Lafayette, LA - The IceGators earned their second straight one-goal win over Baton Rouge in exhibition play, rounding out the pre-season with a well-earned 2-1 win at the Cajundome on Sunday. Louisiana took a 5-4 overtime win from the Kingfish on Saturday in Baton Rouge. The IceGators hit the ice Monday for a 10 a.m. practice at the Cajundome.
Rod Sarich's goal at 10:38 of the third period was the game-winner after Chris Taliercio knotted the score late in the second stanza. Kyle Kettles earned the win in relief of Frederic Cloutier, making nine saves over the final 30:48. Cloutier stopped 15-of-16 shots in the opening 29:12. Both Cloutier and Kettles were assigned to Louisiana from NHL Minnesota earlier in the day.
"The second time around, we had a sluggish start again," said IceGators head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish. "We had a lack of energy early on but came on strong and dictated the third period and deserved to win."
Wes Scanzano scored a power play goal for Baton Rouge. Netminder Jamie McCaig took the loss for the second straight day, stopping 19-of-21 shots over the final 30:27. Jeff Blair started in goal and made 17 saves.
The IceGators trailed 1-0 late in the second period when Taliercio, a rookie from Dartmouth in camp on a tryout agreement, got his first goal of the exhibition season. Bobby Brown fought hard to win a loose puck following a draw, and the puck squirted to Taliercio. The Farmingdale, N.J. native beat McCaig stick side as he fell, knotting the score at 1-1. There were two fights immediately following the score, as Louisiana's Jeff Worlton battled with Trevor Wasyluk, and then the IceGators' Cal Benazic fought Chad Nicholson.
Sarich's goal capped off a pretty sequence. Shawn McNeil got the puck to Branislav Kvetan behind the net. Kvetan slid a pass between the circles to a streaking Sarich, whose shot beat McCaig glove side. The Kingfish had a late chance when Sarich went for hooking at the 17:47 mark, but Kettles stopped the surge.
"Sarich had good offensive numbers in juniors, and that's one of the reasons we have him down here," said Farrish. "Three guys out there all made great plays on that goal."
Baton Rouge had taken a 1-0 lead at 12:10 of the first period, scoring on a 5-on-3 chance. Sean Peach rifled a shot from the point, and Scanzano was there to pick up the rebound and slide the puck past Cloutier.
"I think we did a lot of standing around in the first period," said Farrish. "But we got more aggressive and physical and took the game away from them."
Louisiana was 0-for-12 on the power play, while Baton Rouge was 1-for-7 with the man advantage. The teams combined for 108 penalty minutes, 59 by Louisiana.
The IceGators open up their eighth ECHL season Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Arkansas. Their home opener is Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:05 p.m. against Mississippi. Baton Rouge opens its season at home this Friday against Jackson at 7:05 p.m.
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ECHL Stories from October 6, 2002
- Grizzlies Assign Three Players to Men O' War - Burlington
- IceGators finish exhibition schedule unbeaten after 2-1 win - Louisiana IceGators
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- 2002 ECHL MVP assigned to IceGators - Louisiana IceGators
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